System and method for downloading content files using a communication network and for automatically reproducing the content files in a predefined sequence

• US 7,113,983 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Umezawa, Satoru, Takahashi, Hiroaki, Hasegawa, Yutaka, Terada, Kosei
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/571,239
• Time in Patent Office: 2,322 Days
• Field of Search: 709225-226, 709/229, 709/331, 709/203, 709/205, 709/209, 709213-215, 709217-219, 709/247, 707/10, 707/104.1, 705/26, 705/51, 705/57
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/03 Data mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 : Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 : Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Client is connected to a selected program serving site via a communication network. The program serving site includes a database storing plural types of contents having various different characters and can supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents including those of different characters. The client includes a plurality of types of reproduction engines which are capable of reproducing the contents of the respective characters. The client receives a program file from the program serving site and also receives, from the database of the site, contents specified by the received program file. For reproduction of a desired program file, the client reproduces the individual contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the program file, using any one of the reproduction engines which corresponds to the type of each content to be reproduced. The program progression can be fast-forwarded or fast-reversed by fast-forwarding or fast-rewinding a currently-reproduced content. Contents meeting a search condition specified by the client are searched for and retrieved from the program serving site, and a new program file including the retrieved contents is created. The client can edit the program file, display information pertaining to the currently-reproduced content and select and purchase any desired content.

Claims

1. A program reproduction system for transmitting and reproducing contents via a communication network, said program reproduction system comprising:

a program serving site having a memory storing a plurality of types of contents having different characters and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents including contents of different characters; and

a client connectable to said program serving site via the communication network and having a plurality of types of reproduction engines capable of reproducing said plurality of types of contents having different characters, said client being adapted to;

receive a program file from said program serving site;

receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file; and

successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using any one of the reproduction engines which corresponds to the type of the content to be reproduced, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

2. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said client includes an interface to the communication network and a processor coupled with said interface, said processor being connected to the communication network via said interface and adapted to:

receive a program file from said program serving site via the communication network;

receive contents specified by the received program file, from said program serving site via the communication network; and

reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using any one of the reproduction engines which corresponds to the type of the received content.

3. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of types of contents having different characters include a content of music performance information prepared in a predetermined data format and a content of audio sound or voice.

4. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said program serving site is capable of supplying a plurality of program files, and said client is adapted to selectively designate a desired one of the plurality of program files and receive the designated desired program file from said program serving site.

5. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said client is adapted to selectively designate a desired one of the plurality of program files and make a program list containing the designated desired program file.

6. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said client includes a memory, an operator and a processor coupled with said memory and said operator, and said processor is adapted to, in response to an operation of said operator, edit the reproducing sequence of the contents in the received program file to thereby provide an edited program file and store the edited program file into said memory.

7. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said client is a portable-type communication terminal.

8. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said program file contains storage location information that is indicative of a storage location of each of the contents in said program serving site, and said client receives a desired one of the contents from said program serving site on the basis of the storage location information.

9. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the program file to be received by said client defines a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents satisfying the search condition specified by said client to said program serving site.

10. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said program serving site makes the search in accordance with the search condition specified by said client, makes a program file containing the retrieved contents and sends the made program file to said client, and

wherein said client receives, from said program serving site, the made program file containing the retrieved contents.

11. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said client includes an operator and a processor coupled with said operator, and said processor is adapted to, in response to an operation of said operator, edit the reproducing sequence of the contents in the program file received from said program serving site.

12. A program reproduction system for transmitting and reproducing contents via a communication network, said program reproduction system comprising:

a program serving site including a memory storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents; and

a client connectable to said program serving site via the communication network and including a reproduction engine for reproducing contents and an operator adapted to give at least one of fast-forwarding and fast-rewinding instructions, said client being adapted to;

receive a program file from said program serving site;

receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using said reproduction engine, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

fast-forward or fast-rewind a currently-reproduced content in the program file to be reproduced, in accordance with the fast-forwarding or fast-rewinding instruction given via said operator.

13. A program reproduction system for transmitting and reproducing contents via a communication network, said program reproduction system comprising:

a program serving site including a memory storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents and content-related information for individual ones of the contents; and

a client connectable to said program serving site via the communication network and including a reproduction engine for reproducing contents and a display section, said client being adapted to;

receive a program file from said program serving site;

receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using said reproduction engine wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

receive, from said program serving site, the content-related information for each received content or each content which is being currently reproduced and display the received content-related information on said display section.

14. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said program file contains identification information identifying the individual contents, and said client receives the content-related information from said program serving site on the basis of the identification information of the currently reproduced content.

15. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said program serving site includes a memory storing content-related information for individual contents.

16. A program reproduction system for transmitting and reproducing contents via a communication network, said program reproduction system comprising:

a program serving site including a memory storing a plurality of contents, and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents and perform a content selling process upon receipt of a content purchase request; and

a client connectable to said program serving site via the communication network and including a reproduction engine for reproducing contents and an operator, said client being adapted to;

receive a program file from said program serving site;

receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using said reproduction engine wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

generate a content purchase request in response to an operation of said operator and transmit the content purchase request to said program serving site.

17. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said client generates the content purchase request asking for one of the contents which is being currently reproduced and transmits the content purchase request to said program serving site, and wherein, in response to the content purchase request from said client, said program serving site performs the selling process to sell said client a regular content corresponding to the content currently reproduced by said client.

18. A program reproduction system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said program serving site supplies said client with a predetermined sample content in response to a request from said client asking for any one of the contents specified by the program file, and wherein, for each of the contents having been finally determined to be sold via the selling process, said program serving site supplies said client with a non-sample regular content.

19. A method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of types of contents having different characters and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents including contents having different characters, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said client to receive a program file from said program serving site;

causing said client to receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file; and

causing said client to successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using any one of the reproduction engines which corresponds to the type of the content to be reproduced, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the program file to be received by said client defines a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents satisfying the search condition specified by said client to said program serving site.

21. A machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to execute a method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of types of contents having different characters and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents including contents having different characters, said method being executed in said client, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said client to receive a program file from said program serving site;

causing said client to receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file; and

causing said client to successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, using any one of the reproduction engines which corresponds to the type of the content to be reproduced, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

22. A machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 21 wherein the program file to be received by said client defines a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents satisfying the search condition specified by said client to said program serving site.

23. A method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said client to receive a program file from said program serving site;

causing said client to receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

causing said client to successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence;

giving a fast-forwarding or fast-rewinding instruction; and

causing said client to fast-forward or fast-rewind one of the contents which is being currently reproduced by said client, in accordance with the fast-forwarding or fast-rewinding instruction.

24. A machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to execute a method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents, said method being executed in said client, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said client to receive a program file from said program serving site;

causing said client to receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

causing said client to successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence;

giving a fast-forwarding or fast-rewinding instruction; and

causing said client to fast-forward or fast-rewind one of the contents which is being currently reproduced by said client, in accordance with the fast-forwarding or fast-rewinding instruction.

25. A method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said client to receive a program file from said program serving site;

causing said client to receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

causing said client to successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

causing said client to display, on a display section, information related to each received content or each content which is being currently reproduced.

26. A machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instruction to cause said machine to execute a method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents, said method being executed in said client, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a program file from said program serving site;

receiving, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

successively reproducing each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

displaying, on a display section, information related to each received content or each content which is being currently reproduced.

27. A method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said client to receive a program file from said program serving site;

causing said client to receive, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

causing said client to successively reproduce each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence;

causing client to generate a content purchase request asking for a desired content and transmit the content purchase request to said program serving site; and

causing said program serving site to perform a process to sell the desired content in response to the content purchase request from said client.

28. A machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to execute a method of transmitting contents from a program serving site via a communication network to a client and reproducing the transmitted contents by the client, said program serving site including a database storing a plurality of contents and adapted to supply a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents, said method being executed in said client, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a program file from said program serving site;

receiving, from said program serving site, contents specified by the received program file;

successively reproducing each of the received contents in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

generating a content purchase request asking for a desired content and transmitting the content purchase request to said program serving site, the content purchase request causing said program serving site to start performing a predetermined process to sell the desired content.

29. A machine-readable storage medium containing a data group of a program file, the program file being used when contents are to be transmitted from a program serving site via a communication network to a client for reproduction by the client, said program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of contents and including content information defining individual ones of the plurality of contents,

said content information for each of the contents including:

storage location information that is indicative of a storage location of the content in said program serving site;

identification information identifying the content; and

displaying information pertaining to the content, wherein said storage location information is usable to retrieve the content from said program serving site and said displaying information is usable to make a visual display pertaining to the content.

30. A server apparatus connectable to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a first storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents;

a second storage section that stores the plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents defined by the program file;

a first supply section that supplies said client terminal apparatus with the program file stored in said first storage section; and

a second supply section that supplies, via the communication network, said client terminal apparatus with the plurality of items of contents information stored in said second storage section and defined by the program file, to thereby allow said client terminal apparatus to successively reproduce each of the received contents information in a reproducing sequence defined by the received program file wherein the received contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

31. A server apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein the different types of contents include trial contents for prompting purchase of regular contents corresponding to the trial contents.

32. A server apparatus connectable to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a first storage section that stores a program list file for prompting said client terminal apparatus to select a desired program file from among a plurality of program files;

a second storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents;

a first supply section that supplies said client terminal apparatus with the program list file stored in said first storage section;

a reception section that receives a result of program file selection by said client terminal apparatus based on the program list file supplied by said first supply section; and

a second supply section that, on the basis of the result of the program file selection by said client terminal apparatus, supplies said client terminal apparatus with the program file stored in said second storage section, to thereby allow said client terminal apparatus to receive, via the communication network, the plurality of items of contents information defined by the program file supplied by said second supply section,

wherein said client terminal apparatus successively reproduces individual ones of the received plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence, and wherein the reproduction of said plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence is carried out automatically.

33. A server apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein the plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents include contents of music performance information organized in a predetermined data format and audio sound contents.

34. A server apparatus connectable to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a storage section that stores a plurality of contents information;

a reception section that receives a given search condition from said client terminal apparatus;

a search section that makes a search through said storage section to retrieve one or more items of the contents information satisfying the given search condition;

a creation section that creates a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including the retrieved contents information; and

a supply section that supplies the created program file to said client terminal apparatus, whereby the plurality of items of contents information are supplied via the communication network to said client terminal apparatus for reproduction in the reproducing sequence defined by the program file,

wherein said client terminal apparatus successively reproduces individual ones of the supplied plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence and wherein the reproduction of said plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence is carried out automatically.

35. A server apparatus connectable to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information and including contents-related information pertaining to individual ones of the plurality of items of contents information and intended for display on a display section of said client terminal apparatus; and

a supply section that supplies the program file, stored in said storage section, to said client terminal apparatus,

whereby the plurality of items of contents information defined by the program file are supplied via the communication network to said client terminal apparatus and the contents-related information included in the program file is displayed on the display section of said client terminal apparatus,

wherein said client terminal apparatus successively reproduces individual ones of the supplied plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence, and wherein the reproduction of said plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence is carried out automatically.

36. A server apparatus as claimed in claim 35 wherein at least one of the items of contents information is music contents information organized in a predetermined data format, and the contents-related information pertaining to the music contents information represents at least one of a name and genre of a music piece, names of an artist, lyric writer and composer of the music piece and a label name and performance time length of the music piece.

37. A server apparatus connectable to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a first storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of trial contents information;

a second storage section that stores the plurality of items of trial contents information;

a first supply section that supplies the program file, stored in said first storage section, to said client terminal apparatus;

a second supply section that, on the basis of the program file supplied to said client terminal apparatus, supplies the trial contents information, stored in said second storage section, to said client terminal apparatus;

a reception section that receives, from said client terminal apparatus, a purchase request for regular, to-be-purchased contents information corresponding to the trial contents information; and

a billing section that bills a user of said client terminal apparatus in accordance with the purchase request received from said client terminal apparatus,

wherein said client terminal apparatus successively reproduces individual ones of the supplied trial contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence, and wherein the reproduction of said trial contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence is carried out automatically.

38. A client terminal apparatus for receiving contents information via a communication network, said client terminal apparatus comprising:

a first reception section that receives, from a server apparatus connected to the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents;

a transmission section that transmits, onto the communication network, information for requesting said server apparatus to supply said client terminal apparatus with each of the plurality of items of contents information defined by the program file;

a second reception section that receives, via the communication network, the plurality of items of contents information defined by the program file; and

a plurality type of reproduction engines that successively reproduce the plurality of items of contents information, received by said second reception section, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file and in accordance with the types of contents, wherein the received plurality of items of contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

39. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein the different types of contents include trial contents for prompting purchase of regular contents corresponding to the trial contents.

40. A client terminal apparatus for receiving contents information via a communication network, said client terminal apparatus comprising:

a first reception section that receives, from a server apparatus connected to the communication network, a program list file for prompting said client terminal apparatus to select a desired program file from among a plurality of program files;

a selection section that selects a desired program file on the basis of the program list file received by said first reception section;

a transmission section that transmits, to said server apparatus, a result of program file selection by said selection section;

a second reception section that receives, from said server apparatus, the desired program file that corresponds to the result of program file selection by said client terminal apparatus and defines a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents;

a third reception section that receives, via the communication network, the plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the desired program file received by said second reception section; and

a reproduction section that successively reproduces individual ones of the received plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, wherein the reproduction of said plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence is carried out automatically.

41. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 40 which further comprises a reproduction section that reproduces the contents information received by said third reception section.

42. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 40 which further comprises an editing section that edits the reproducing sequence of the contents information in the program file received by said second reception section.

43. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 40 wherein the plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents include contents of music performance information organized in a predetermined data format and audio sound contents.

44. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 40, which further comprises a specifying section that specifies a given search condition to said server apparatus connected to the communication network, and

wherein said first reception section receives, from said server apparatus, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information satisfying the specified search condition.

45. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 44 which further comprises an editing section that edits the reproducing sequence defined by the program file received by said first reception section.

46. A client terminal apparatus for receiving contents information via a communication network, said client terminal apparatus comprising:

a first reception section that receives, from a server apparatus on the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information;

a second reception section that, on the basis of the program file received by said first reception section, receives, via the communication network, the contents information defined by the received program file;

a reproduction section that successively reproduces the contents information, received by said second reception section, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file received by said first reception section, wherein the received contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

a fast-forwarding section that fast-forwards a reproduced position of the contents information in accordance with an instruction by a user.

47. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 46 which further comprises a display section capable of displaying an image, and wherein the instruction by the user is given by the user operating a fast-forwarding operator displayed on said display section.

48. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said second reception section makes a request to said server apparatus for the contents information, defined by the program file, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file and receives the contents information supplied by said server apparatus in response to the request, and

wherein, when a fast-forwarding instruction is given by the user, said fast-forwarding section makes a request to said server apparatus for given contents information specified at a relatively rear place in the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, and then said fast-forwarding section receives the given contents information from said server apparatus to thereby fast-forward the reproduced position.

49. A client terminal apparatus for receiving contents information via a communication network, said client terminal apparatus comprising:

a first reception section that receives, from a server apparatus on the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information;

a second reception section that, on the basis of the program file received by said first reception section, receives, via the communication network, the contents information defined by the received program file;

a reproduction section that successively reproduces the contents information, received by said second reception section, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

a fast-rewinding section that fast-rewinds a reproduced position of the contents information in accordance with an instruction by a user.

50. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 49 which further comprises a display section capable of displaying an image, and wherein the instruction by the user is given by the user operating a fast-rewinding operator displayed on said display section.

51. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 49 wherein said second reception section makes a request to said server apparatus for the contents information, defined by the program file, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file and receives the contents information supplied by said server apparatus in response to the request, and

wherein, when a fast-rewinding instruction is given by the user, said fast-rewinding section makes a request to said server apparatus for given contents information specified at a relatively fore place in the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, and then said fast-rewinding section receives the given contents information from said server apparatus to thereby fast-rewind the reproduced position.

52. A client terminal apparatus for receiving contents information via a communication network, said client terminal apparatus comprising:

a first reception section that receives, from a server apparatus connected to the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information and including contents-related information pertaining to individual ones of the items of contents information;

a second reception section that receives, via said communication network, the contents information defined by the program file received by said first reception section; and

a display section that makes a display based on the contents-related information received by said first reception section

a reproduction section that successively reproduces individual ones of the received contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, wherein the reproduction of said contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence is carried out automatically.

53. A client terminal apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein at least one of the items of contents information is music contents information organized in a predetermined data format, and the contents-related information pertaining to the music contents information represents at least one of a name and genre of a music piece, names of an artist, lyric writer and composer of the music piece and a label name and performance time length of the music piece.

54. A client terminal apparatus connectable to a server via a communication network, said client terminal apparatus comprising:

a first reception section that receives, from said server apparatus, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of trial contents information;

a second reception section that, on the basis of the program file received by said first reception section, receives, via said communication network, the trial contents information defined by the program file;

a reproduction section that successively reproduces individual ones of the received trial contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, wherein reproduction, by said reproduction section, of trial content information is carried out automatically in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

a transmission section that transmits, to said server apparatus, a purchase request for regular, to-be-purchased contents information corresponding to the trial contents information received via said communication network,

whereby a user of said client terminal apparatus is billed in accordance with the purchase request.

55. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a server apparatus to implement a procedure for transmitting information to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a first storage section that stores a program list file for prompting said client terminal apparatus to select a desired program file from among a plurality of program files; and

a second storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents, said procedure comprising the steps of;

supplying said client terminal apparatus with the program list file stored in said first storage section;

receiving a result of program file selection by said client terminal apparatus based on the program list file supplied by said first supply section; and

on the basis of the result of the program file selection by said client terminal apparatus, supplying said client terminal apparatus with the program file stored in said second storage section, to thereby allow said client terminal apparatus to successively reproduce the plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the supplied program file, wherein said client terminal apparatus automatically reproduces contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

56. A computer program as claimed in claim 55, wherein said server apparatus further comprises a third storage section storing a plurality of contents information, and wherein said procedure further comprises the steps of:

receiving a given search condition from said client terminal apparatus;

making a search through said third storage section to retrieve one or more items of the contents information satisfying the given search condition;

creating a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including the retrieved contents information; and

supplying the created program file to said client terminal apparatus,

whereby the plurality of items of contents information are supplied via the communication network to said client terminal apparatus for reproduction in the reproducing sequence defined by the created program file.

57. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a client terminal apparatus to implement a procedure for receiving contents information from a server apparatus via a communication network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

receiving, from said server apparatus connected to the communication network, a program list file for prompting said client terminal apparatus to select a desired program file from among a plurality of program files;

selecting a desired program file on the basis of the received program list file;

transmitting, to said server apparatus, a result of program file selection by said step of selecting;

receiving, from said server apparatus, the desired program file that corresponds to said result of program file selection and defines a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information including different types of contents;

receiving, via the communication network, the plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the desired program file received from said server apparatus; and

successively reproducing each of the received plurality of items of contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, using any one of the reproduction engines that corresponds to the type of an item of contents information to be reproduced, wherein the reproduction of said plurality of contents information are carried out automatically in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

58. A computer program as claimed in claim 57, wherein said procedure further comprises the steps of:

specifying a given search condition to the server apparatus connected to the communication network;

receiving, from said server apparatus, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information satisfying the specified search condition; and

receiving, via the communication network, the contents information defined by the program file received from said server apparatus.

59. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a client terminal apparatus to implement a procedure for receiving contents information from a server apparatus via a communication network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a server apparatus on the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information;

on the basis of the received program file, receiving, via the communication network, the contents information defined by the received program file;

successively reproducing the contents information, received via the communication network, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

fast-forwarding a reproduced position of the contents information in accordance with an instruction by a user.

60. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a client terminal apparatus to implement a procedure for receiving contents information from a server apparatus via a communication network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a server apparatus on the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information;

on the basis of the received program file, receiving, via the communication network, the contents information defined by the received program file;

successively reproducing the contents information, received via the communication network, in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the received program file, wherein the received contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence; and

fast-rewinding a reproduced position of the contents information in accordance with an instruction by a user.

61. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a server apparatus to implement a procedure for transmitting information to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising a storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information and including contents-related information pertaining to individual ones of the plurality of items of contents information and intended for display on a display section of said client terminal apparatus, said procedure comprising the steps of:

supplying the program file, stored in said storage section, to said client terminal apparatus,

whereby the plurality of items of contents information defined by the program file are supplied via the communication network to said client terminal apparatus and the contents-related information included in the program file is displayed on the display section of said client terminal apparatus,

wherein said client terminal apparatus successively reproduces individual ones of the supplied contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence, and wherein reproduction by said client terminal apparatus of the supplied contents information is carried out automatically in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

62. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a client terminal apparatus to implement a procedure for receiving contents information from a server apparatus via a communication network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the server apparatus connected to the communication network, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of contents information and including contents-related information pertaining to individual ones of the items of contents information;

receiving, via said communication network, the contents information defined by the program file received from the server apparatus;

displaying a display based on the contents-related information received from the server apparatus; and

successively reproducing individual ones of the received contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, wherein the received contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

63. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a server apparatus to implement a procedure for transmitting information to a client terminal apparatus via a communication network, said server apparatus comprising:

a first storage section that stores a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of trial contents information; and

a second storage section that stores the plurality of items of trial contents information, said procedure comprising the steps of;

supplying the program file, stored in said first storage section, to said client terminal apparatus;

on the basis of the program file supplied to said client terminal apparatus, supplying the trial contents information, stored in said second storage section, to said client terminal apparatus;

receiving, from said client terminal apparatus, a purchase request for regular, to-be-purchased contents information corresponding to the trial contents information; and

billing a user of said client terminal apparatus in accordance with the purchase request received from said client terminal apparatus,

wherein said client terminal apparatus successively reproduces individual ones of the supplied trial contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence, and wherein reproduction, by said client terminal apparatus, or trial content information is carried out automatically in accordance with the reproducing sequence.

64. A computer program containing a group of instructions to cause a processor of a client terminal apparatus to implement a procedure for receiving contents information from a server apparatus via a communication network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

receiving, from said server apparatus, a program file defining a reproducing sequence of a plurality of items of trial contents information;

on the basis of the program file received from said server apparatus, receiving, via said communication network, the trial contents information defined by the received program file;

successively reproducing individual ones of the received trial contents information in accordance with the reproducing sequence defined by the program file, wherein the received trial contents information are automatically reproduced in accordance with the reproducing sequence;

transmitting, to said server apparatus, a purchase request for regular, to-be-purchased contents information corresponding to the trial contents information received via said communication network,

whereby a user of said client terminal apparatus is billed in accordance with the purchase request.