Recording and reproducing system, server apparatus, recording and reproducing method, terminal apparatus, operating method, and program storage medium

• US 7,346,650 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Nobuaki, Nomura, Yasuo, Terashita, Yasuhiko, Watanabe, Yoshikazu, Shikata, Yasuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor; Nicholas R
• Application Number:
  US09/947,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,386 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 725/55, 725/86
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A recording and reproducing system according to the invention is made up of a server apparatus and its terminals connected over a local area network that is administered independently in a limited area. In the system, any one of the terminals may generate a reproduction request and send it to the server apparatus over the LAN. In response to the request, the server apparatus reproduces video data from a storage medium installed therein and sends the reproduced video data to the requesting terminal over the LAN. In this manner, a user may reproduce video data and enjoy images thereof by remotely operating the server apparatus with ease from any terminal configured in the system.

Claims

1. A recording and reproducing system constituted by a server apparatus and terminal apparatuses connected over a local area network;

wherein each of said terminal apparatuses comprises;

operation request generating means for generating a reproduction request bound for said server apparatus; and

terminal-side communicating means for communicating with said server apparatus over said local area network; and

wherein said server apparatus comprises;

server-side communicating means for communicating with each of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network;

server-side recording/reproducing means for recording and reproducing video data to and from a predetermined server-side storage medium; and

server-side controlling means which, in response to said reproduction request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, causes said server-side recording/reproducing means to reproduce said video data from said server-side storage medium and transmits the reproduced video data through said server-side communicating means to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network,

server side display control means for controlling the displaying of available reproduction requests and making the displayed available reproduction requests selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction requests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

2. A recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein each of said terminal apparatuses comprises displaying means for displaying in real time images based on said video data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

3. A recording and reproducing system according to claim 2, wherein said server apparatus comprises supplementary information/data generating means for generating supplementary information/data every time said server-side recording/reproducing means reproduces said video data from said server-side storage medium in response to said reproduction request from any one of said terminal apparatuses, said supplementary information/data including a reproduction history indicative of a reproduction end position of said video data upon each session of the reproduction thereof;

wherein said operation request generating means of each of said terminal apparatuses identifies said video data based on said supplementary information/data and generates said reproduction request for designating the reproduction start position of said video data either as the start or said reproduction end position thereof based on said reproduction history; and

wherein said displaying means of each of said terminal apparatuses displays in real time both the images based on said video data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, and still pictures based on still picture data included in said supplementary information/data transmitted along with said video data from said server apparatus.

4. A recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein each of said terminal apparatuses comprises terminal-side recording/reproducing means for recording and reproducing said video data to and from a predetermined terminal-side storage medium, said video data being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

5. A recording and reproducing system according to claim 4, wherein each of said terminal apparatuses comprises terminal-side controlling means for causing said terminal-side recording/reproducing means to reproduce said video data from said terminal-side storage medium and for transmitting the reproduced video data through said terminal-side communicating means to said server apparatus over said local area network;

and

wherein said operation request generating means of each of said terminal apparatuses generates a video data recording request for prompting said server apparatus to record said video data transmitted to said server apparatus.

6. A recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein said server apparatus comprises:

receiving means for receiving said video data representative of TV programs; and

unattended recording preset data generating means for generating data for presetting said TV programs for unattended recording;

wherein each of said terminal apparatuses comprises preset information/data generating means for generating preset information/data representative of settings for said unattended recording; and

wherein said unattended recording preset data generating means of said server apparatus generates unattended recording preset data based on said preset information/data transmitted from each of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network.

7. A server apparatus connected to terminal apparatuses on a local area network that is administered independently in a limited area, said server apparatus comprising:

communicating means for communicating with each of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network;

recording/reproducing means for recording and reproducing video data to and from a predetermined storage medium; and

controlling means which, in response to a reproduction request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, causes said recording/reproducing means to reproduce said video data from said storage medium and transmits the reproduced video data through said communicating means to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network,

display control means for controlling the displaying of available reproduction requests and making the displayed available reproduction requests selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction requests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

8. A server apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising supplementary information/data generating means for generating supplementary information/data for use in selecting said video data;

wherein, in response to a transmission request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said controlling means transmits said supplementary information/data through said communicating means to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network.

9. A server apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said supplementary information/data generating means generates said supplementary information/data every time said recording/reproducing means reproduces said video data from said storage medium in response to said reproduction request from any one of said terminal apparatuses, said supplementary information/data including a reproduction history indicative of a reproduction end position of said video data upon each session of the reproduction thereof;

and

wherein, in response to said reproduction request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said controlling means causes said recording/reproducing means to reproduce said video data from said storage medium and transmits the reproduced video data through said communicating means to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network, said reproduction request designating the reproduction start position of said video data either as the start or said reproduction end position thereof based on said reproduction history as part of said supplementary information/data.

10. A server apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said supplementary information/data generating means generates said supplementary information/data including still picture data as part of said video data;

and

wherein, in response to said reproduction request, said controlling means transmits said video data and said supplementary information/data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network.

11. A server apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, in response to a recording request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said controlling means causes said recording/reproducing means to record said video data to said storage medium, said video data being transmitted from the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network.

12. A server apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

receiving means for receiving said video data representative of TV programs; and

unattended recording preset data generating means for generating data for presetting said TV programs for unattended recording based on preset information/data transmitted from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network.

13. A server apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, in response a transmission request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said controlling means transmits unattended recording preset data through said communicating means to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network.

14. A server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, in response to an erase request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network in order to identify the unattended recording preset data to be erased, said controlling means erases said unattended recording preset data designated by said erase request.

15. A server apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising supplementary information/data generating means for generating supplementary information/data for use in selecting said video data;

wherein, in response to an erase request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network in order to identify the video data to be erased, said controlling means transmits said supplementary information/data through said communicating means to the requesting terminal apparatus thereby allowing said requesting terminal apparatus to erase said video data identified by said erase request.

16. A terminal apparatus connected to a server apparatus over a local area network, comprising:

operation request generating means for generating a reproduction request for soliciting the reproduction of recorded video data by said server apparatus capable of recording and reproducing video data; and

communicating means for communicating with said server apparatus over said local area network;

wherein said communicating means transmits said reproduction request generated by said operation request generating means to said server apparatus over said local area network, and receives the video data reproduced by said server apparatus in response to said reproduction request and transmitted from said server apparatus,

displaying means for displaying available reproduction requests,

wherein the available reproduction requests are selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction requests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

17. A terminal apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said operation request generating means generates said reproduction request for identifying the video data to be reproduced based on supplementary information/data for use in selecting said video data, said reproduction request being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

18. A terminal apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising displaying means for displaying in real time images based on said video data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

19. A terminal apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said operation request generating means generates said reproduction request for identifying said video data based on said supplementary information/data coming from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data including a reproduction history indicative of a reproduction end position of said video data upon each session of the reproduction thereof, said reproduction request further designating the reproduction start position of said video data either as the start or said reproduction end position thereof based on said reproduction history.

20. A terminal apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said communicating means receives said video data and said supplementary information/data including still picture data as part of said video data, said video data and said supplementary information/data being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network;

and

wherein said displaying means displays in real time both said images based on said video data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, and still pictures based on said still picture data included in said supplementary information/data transmitted along with said video data from said server apparatus.

21. A terminal apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising recording/reproducing means for recording and reproducing said video data to and from a predetermined storage medium, said video data being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

22. A terminal apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising controlling means for causing said recording/reproducing means to reproduce said video data from said storage medium and for transmitting the reproduced video data through said communicating means to said server apparatus over said local area network;

and

wherein said operation request generating means generates a video data recording request for prompting said server apparatus to record said video data transmitted to said server apparatus.

23. A terminal apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said recording/reproducing means records and reproduces said video data and said supplementary information/data to and from said storage medium, said video data and said supplementary information/data being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data including still picture data as part of said video data.

24. A terminal apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising preset information/data generating means for generating preset information/data representative of settings for unattended recording of TV programs constituted by said video data received by said server apparatus;

wherein said communicating means transmits said preset information/data to said server apparatus over said local area network causing said server apparatus to preset said TV programs for unattended recording.

25. A terminal apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said operation request generating means generates a transmission request for prompting said server apparatus to transmit unattended recording preset data over said local area network;

and

wherein said communicating means transmits said transmission request to said server apparatus over said local area network and receives said unattended recording preset data sent from said server apparatus in response to said transmission request.

26. A terminal apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said operation request generating means generates an erase request for identifying the unattended recording preset data to be erased based on said unattended recording preset data received.

27. A terminal apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said operation request generating means generates said reproduction request for identifying the video data to be erased based on supplementary information/data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data being used in selecting said video data.

28. A recording and reproducing method for use with a server apparatus connected to terminal apparatuses on a local area network that is administered independently in a limited area, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a reproduction request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

reproducing the video data from a predetermined storage medium in response to said reproduction request before transmitting the reproduced video data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network,

controlling the displaying of available reproduction requests and making the displayed available reproduction requests selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction requests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

29. A recording and reproducing method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

generating supplementary information/data for use in selecting said video data;

receiving a transmission request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

transmitting said supplementary information/data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network in response to said transmission request in order to identify said video data to be reproduced.

30. A recording and reproducing method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a recording request and the video data to be recorded upon transmission thereof from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

recording said video data to said storage medium in response to said recording request.

31. A recording and reproducing method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said video data representative of TV programs;

generating unattended recording preset data for presetting said TV programs made of said video data for unattended recording based on preset information/data transmitted from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

recording said video data of said TV programs to said storage medium in accordance with said unattended recording preset data, thereby recording said TV programs.

32. A recording and reproducing method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

transmitting said unattended recording preset data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network in response to said transmission request.

33. A recording and reproducing method according to claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an erase request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said erase request soliciting erasure of the unattended recording preset data designated by said erase request; and

erasing said unattended recording preset data designated by said erase request.

34. A recording and reproducing method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an erase request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said erase request soliciting erasure of the video data designated by said erase request; and

erasing said video data designated by said erase request.

35. An operating method for use with a terminal apparatus connected to a server apparatus over a local area network, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a reproduction request for soliciting the reproduction of recorded video data by said server apparatus capable of recording and reproducing video data; and

receiving the video data reproduced and transmitted by said server apparatus in response to said reproduction request transmitted to said server apparatus over said local area network,

displaying available reproduction requests,

wherein the displayed available reproduction requests are selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction requests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

36. An operating method according to claim 35, wherein said request generating step comprises generating said reproduction request for identifying said video data to be reproduced based on supplementary information/data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data being used in selecting said video data.

37. An operating method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of displaying in real time images based on said video data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

38. An operating method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of recording and reproducing said video data to and from a predetermined storage medium, said video data being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

39. An operating method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of reproducing said video data from said storage medium before transmitting the reproduced video data through communicating means to said server apparatus over said local area network;

wherein said request generating step comprises generating a video data recording request for prompting said server apparatus to record said video data transmitted to said server apparatus.

40. An operating method according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

generating preset information/data representative of settings for unattended recording of TV programs constituted by said video data received by said server apparatus; and

transmitting said preset information/data to said server apparatus over said local area network causing said server apparatus to preset said TV programs for unattended recording.

41. An operating method according to claim 40, wherein said request generating step comprises transmitting a transmission request to said server apparatus over said local area network, said transmission request having been generated to prompt said server apparatus to transmit unattended recording preset data over said local area network;

said operating method further comprising the step of receiving said unattended recording preset data transmitted from said server apparatus in response to said transmission request.

42. An operating method according to claim 41, wherein said request generating step comprises generating an erase request for identifying the unattended recording preset data to be erased based on said unattended recording preset data received.

43. An operating method according to claim 35, wherein said request generating step comprises generating said reproduction request for identifying the video data to be erased based on supplementary information/data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data being used in selecting said video data.

44. A program storage medium which stores a program for use with a server apparatus connected to terminal apparatuses on a local area network that is administered independently in a limited area, said program causing said server apparatus to execute the steps of:

receiving a reproduction request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

reproducing video data from a predetermined storage medium in response to said reproduction request before transmitting the video data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network,

controlling the displaying of available reproduction reciuests and making the displayed available reproduction requests selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction reciuests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

45. A program storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

generating supplementary information/data for use in selecting said video data;

receiving a transmission request from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

transmitting said supplementary information/data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network in response to said transmission request in order to identify said video data to be reproduced.

46. A program storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

receiving a recording request and the video data to be recorded upon transmission thereof from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

recording said video data to said storage medium in response to said recording request.

47. A program storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

receiving said video data representative of TV programs;

generating unattended recording preset data for presetting said TV programs made of said video data for unattended recording based on preset information/data transmitted from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

recording said video data of said TV programs to said storage medium in accordance with said unattended recording preset data, thereby recording said TV programs.

48. A program storage medium according to claim 47, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

receiving a transmission request from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network; and

transmitting said unattended recording preset data to the requesting terminal apparatus over said local area network in response to said transmission request.

49. A program storage medium according to claim 48, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

receiving an erase request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said erase request soliciting erasure of the unattended recording preset data designated by said erase request; and

erasing said unattended recording preset data designated by said erase request.

50. A program storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

receiving an erase request sent from any one of said terminal apparatuses over said local area network, said erase request soliciting erasure of the video data designated by said erase request; and

erasing said video data designated by said erase request.

51. A program storage medium which stores a program for use with a terminal apparatus connected to a server apparatus over a local area network, said program causing said terminal apparatus to execute the steps of:

generating a reproduction request for soliciting the reproduction of recorded video data by said server apparatus capable of recording and reproducing video data; and

receiving the video data reproduced and transmitted by said server apparatus in response to said reproduction request transmitted to said server apparatus over said local area network,

displaying of available reproduction requests,

wherein the displayed available reproduction requests are selectable by a user,

wherein the available reproduction requests are a subset of a plurality of reproductions requests,

wherein a selection of the available reproduction requests that are displayed are a function of previously transmitted data, previously reproduced data, information in response to reproduction of the previously transmitted data, and time information associated therewith.

52. A program storage medium according to claim 51, wherein said request generating step comprises generating said reproduction request for identifying said video data to be reproduced based on supplementary information/data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data being used in selecting said video data.

53. A program storage medium according to claim 52, wherein said program further comprises the step of displaying in real time images based on said video data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

54. A program storage medium according to claim 52, wherein said program further comprises the step of recording and reproducing said video data to and from a predetermined storage medium, said video data being transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network.

55. A program storage medium according to claim 54, wherein said program further comprises the step of reproducing said video data from said storage medium before transmitting the reproduced video data through communicating means to said server apparatus over said local area network;

and

wherein said request generating step comprises generating a video data recording request for prompting said server apparatus to record said video data transmitted to said server apparatus.

56. A program storage medium according to claim 51, wherein said program further comprises the steps of:

generating preset information/data representative of settings for unattended recording of TV programs constituted by said video data received by said server apparatus; and

transmitting said preset information/data to said server apparatus over said local area network causing said server apparatus to preset said TV programs for unattended recording.

57. A program storage medium according to claim 56, wherein said request generating step comprises transmitting a transmission request to said server apparatus over said local area network, said transmission request having been generated to prompt said server apparatus to transmit unattended recording preset data over said local area network;

said program further comprising the step of receiving said unattended recording preset data transmitted from said server apparatus in response to said transmission request.

58. A program storage medium according to claim 57, wherein said request generating step comprises generating an erase request for identifying the unattended recording preset data to be erased based on said unattended recording preset data received.

59. A program storage medium according to claim 51, wherein said request generating step comprises generating said reproduction request for identifying the video data to be erased based on supplementary information/data transmitted from said server apparatus over said local area network, said supplementary information/data being used in selecting said video data.