Information providing system, information providing apparatus, information providing method, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

• US 7,296,055 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimura, Atsushi, Yamaguchi, Nobuaki, Nomura, Yasuo, Eguchi, Tatsuo, Watanabe, Yoshikazu, Shikata, Yasuhito, Usukura, Rie, Mitsubori, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, LAN DAI T
• Application Number:
  US10/237,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/227, 709/217, 709/230, 715/758, 715/511
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91314 the copy protection signal being a pulse signal inserted in blanking intervals of the video signal, e.g. pseudo-AGC pulses, pseudo-sync pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91371 the video color burst signal being modified
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8402 involving a version number, e.g. version number of EPG data arrangements for version control in computers G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

Disclosed is an information providing system in which the information providing apparatus first receives a connection request from the first information processing apparatus. Upon receipt of the connection request, a check is made to see whether the information providing apparatus is providing any image data or sound data to the second information processing apparatus. If the information providing apparatus is judged to be providing any image data or sound data to the second information processing apparatus, then information related to a chat program is transmitted to the first and the second information processing apparatus. After transmitting the connection request to the information providing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus receives the information related to the chat program from the information providing apparatus. Upon reception of the information, the first information processing apparatus executes a process based on the received information related to the chat program. The second information processing apparatus also receives the information related to the chat program from the information providing apparatus and thereupon executes a process based on the received information related to the chat program.

Claims

1. An information providing system constituted of an information providing apparatus for providing a television program over a network and of a first and a second information processing apparatus for displaying images and outputting sounds based on the provided television program;

wherein said information providing apparatus comprises;

first reception controlling means for controlling reception of a connection request from said first information processing apparatus and for controlling reception of a version request from said first information processing apparatus for a version report regarding a program being executed by said information providing apparatus;

judging means for judging whether said information providing apparatus is providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus; and

first transmission controlling means which, if said information providing apparatus is judged to be providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus, then controls transmission of information related to a chat program to said first and said second information processing apparatus; and

upon receipt of the version report request, controls transmission of version data denoting the version of said second program to said information processing apparatus;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

second transmission controlling means for controlling transmission of said connection request to said information providing apparatus and for controlling transmission of said version report request to said information providing apparatus;

recording controlling means for controlling recording of function data representing correspondence between said version of said program and functions provided by said information providing apparatus;

second reception controlling means for controlling reception of said information related to said chat program from said information providing apparatus and for controlling reception of said version data from said information providing apparatus;

determining means for determining the functions of said information providing apparatus based on said function data and said version data; and

first executing means which, upon reception of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

third reception controlling means for controlling reception of said information related to said chat program from said information providing apparatus; and

second executing means which, upon receipt of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program,

whereby said first and said second information processing apparatus are able to communicate with one another via said chat program.

2. An information providing system according to claim 1, wherein said information providing apparatus further comprises third transmission controlling means for controlling transmission of the same of said television program to said first and said second information processing apparatus.

3. An information providing system according to claim 1, wherein said first transmission controlling means controls transmission of said information related to said chat program as a chat program boot-up request;

wherein said first executing means boots said chat program upon receipt of said information related to said chat program; and

wherein said second executing means boots said chat program upon receipt of said information related to said chat program.

4. An information providing apparatus for providing a television program over a network to a first and a second information processing apparatus displaying images and outputting sounds based on the provided television program, said information providing apparatus comprising:

reception controlling means for controlling reception of a connection request from said first information processing apparatus and for controlling reception of a version request from said first information processing apparatus for a version report regarding a program being executed by said information providing apparatus;

judging means for judging whether said information providing apparatus is providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus; and

first transmission controlling means which, if said information providing apparatus is judged to be providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus, then controls transmission of information related to a chat program to said first and said second information processing apparatus; and

wherein said first transmission controlling means which, upon receipt of the version report request, controls transmission of version data denoting the version of said second program to said information processing apparatus; and

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises a second transmission controlling means for controlling transmission of said version report request to said information providing apparatus;

recording controlling means for controlling recording of function data representing correspondence between said version of said program and functions provided by said information providing apparatus;

second reception controlling means for controlling reception of said version data from said information providing apparatus; and

determining means for determining the functions of said information providing apparatus based on said function data and said version data;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

first executing means which, upon reception of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

second executing means which, upon receipt of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program,

whereby said first and said second information processing apparatus are able to communicate with one another via said chat program.

5. An information providing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising second transmission controlling means for controlling transmission of the same of said television program to said first and said second information processing apparatus.

6. An information providing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first transmission controlling means controls transmission of said information related to said chat program as a chat program boot-up request.

7. An information providing method for use with an information providing apparatus for providing a television program over a network to a first and a second information processing apparatus displaying images and outputting sounds based on the provided television program, said information providing method comprising the steps of:

controlling reception of a connection request from said first information processing apparatus and controlling reception of a version request from said first information processing apparatus for a version report regarding a program being executed by said information providing apparatus;

upon receipt of said connection request, judging whether said information providing apparatus is providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus; and

upon receipt of the version report request, controlling transmission of version data denoting the version of said second program to said information processing apparatus;

if said information providing apparatus is judged to be providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus, then controlling transmission of information related to a chat program to said first and said second information processing apparatus, controlling transmission of said version report req uest to said information providing apparatus, and controlling recording of function data representing correspondence between said version of said program and functions provided by said information providing apparatus;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

first executing means which, upon reception of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

second executing means which, upon receipt of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program,

whereby said first and said second information processing apparatus are able to communicate with one another via said chat program;

second reception controlling means for controlling reception of said version data from said information providing apparatus; and

determining means for determining the functions of said information providing apparatus based on said function data and said version data.

8. A program for use with a computer which controls an information providing apparatus for providing a television program over a network to a first and a second information processing apparatus displaying images and outputting sounds based on the provided television program, said program causing said computer to execute the steps of:

controlling reception of a connection request from said first information processing apparatus;

upon receipt of said connection request, judging whether said information providing apparatus is providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus and controlling reception of a version request from said first information processing apparatus for a version report regarding a program being executed by said information providing apparatus; and

upon receipt of the version report request, controlling transmission of version data denoting the version of said second program to said information processing apparatus;

if said information providing apparatus is judged to be providing said television program to said second information processing apparatus, then controlling transmission of information related to a chat program to said first and said second information processing apparatus, controlling transmission of said version report request to said information providing apparatus, and controlling recording of function data representing correspondence between said version of said program and functions provided by said information providing apparatus;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

first executing means which, upon reception of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

second executing means which, upon receipt of said information related to said chat program, executes a process based on the received information related to said chat program,

whereby said first and said second information processing apparatus are able to communicate with one another via said chat program;

second reception controlling means for controlling reception of said version data from said information providing apparatus; and

determining means for determining the functions of said information providing apparatus based on said function data and said version data.