Information processing apparatus and method, information processing system, and transmission medium

• US 7,636,545 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US11/408,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20060194570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 455/556.1, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/091 Info, i.e. juxtaposition of unrelated auxiliary information or commercial messages with or between music files metadata G10H2240/075
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/87 accessed over computer networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/553 Data upload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

When a user gets interested in some music he/she listens to somewhere, for example, in a coffee shop, the user records that music in a memory provided in a portable terminal. A processor reads the information stored in the memory and performs a predetermined process on it. The resultant information is stored on a storage device. The information stored on the storage device is then transferred to a server via a communication device. The server searches the database for the title of the music corresponding to the received information, and returns the result to the terminal. Thus, the user can easily get information about the title of the music.

Claims

1. A method of providing information associated with segments of broadcast information, comprising:

receiving, from an input device, time information representing a broadcast time at which a segment was broadcast, and an identification code corresponding to said segment which is extracted from an audio signal captured at a microphone of the input device;

retrieving, from a database, information associated with any segments having broadcast times which match said received time information and identification codes that match said extracted identification code; and

providing said retrieved information associated with said segments.

34. A method according to claim 1, wherein the provided information is at least one of a title, a singer'"'"'s name, a composer'"'"'s name, a songwriter'"'"'s name and a genre.

2. A method of providing information associated with segments of information comprising:

receiving an index from an input device, wherein said index is extracted from an audio signal captured at a microphone at said input device;

retrieving, from a database, information associated with any segments corresponding to said index; and

providing the retrieved information associated with said segments.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said index is a music identification code.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said index is

associated with time information corresponding to a time that the audio signal is captured.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said index is music data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the time information is provided with the index through a network for said retrieval from a database.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the information is provided to a user through a network.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the music identification code is recorded by the input device during a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the time information is recorded by the input device at the time of a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the music data is recorded by the input device during a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the input device records a designation identifying whether the segment is a radio broadcast or a television broadcast.

35. A method according to claim 2, wherein the provided information is at least one of a title, a singer'"'"'s name, a composer'"'"'s name, a songwriter'"'"'s name and a genre.

40. The method of claim 2, wherein the index comprises broadcast station information.

12. An apparatus for providing information associated with segments of broadcast information, comprising:

means for receiving, from an input device, time information representing a broadcast time at which a segment was broadcast, and an identification code corresponding to said segment which is extracted from an audio signal captured at a microphone of the input device;

means for retrieving, from a database, information associated with any segments having broadcast times which match said received time information and identification codes that match said extracted identification code; and

means for providing the retrieved information associated with said segments.

36. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the provided information is at least one of a title, a singer'"'"'s name, a composer'"'"'s name, a songwriter'"'"'s name and a genre.

13. An apparatus for providing information associated with segments of information comprising:

means for receiving an index from an input device, wherein said index is extracted from an audio signal captured at a microphone of said input device;

means for retrieving from a database, information associated with any segments corresponding to said index; and

means for providing the retrieved information associated with said segments.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said index is a music identification code.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said index is associated with time information corresponding to the time that the audio signal is captured.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said index is music data.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the time information is provided with the index through a network for said retrieval from a database.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the information is provided to a user through a network.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the music identification code is recorded by the input device during a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the time information is recorded by the input device at the time of a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the music data is recorded by the input device during a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the input device records a designation identifying whether the segment is a radio broadcast or a television broadcast.

37. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the provided information is at least one of a title, a singer'"'"'s name, a composer'"'"'s name, a songwriter'"'"'s name and a genre.

41. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the index comprises broadcast station information.

23. An apparatus for providing information associated with segments of broadcast information, comprising:

an interface configured to receive, from an input device, time information representing a broadcast time at which a segment was broadcast, and an identification code corresponding to said segment which is extracted from an audio signal captured at a microphone of the input device;

a processor configured to retrieve, from a database, information associated with a segment having broadcast times which match said received time information and an identification code that matches said extracted identification code; and

an interface configured to provide the retrieved information associated with said segment.

38. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the provided information is at least one of a title, a singer'"'"'s name, a composer'"'"'s name, a songwriter'"'"'s name and a genre.

24. An apparatus for providing information associated with segments of information comprising:

an interface configured to receive an index from an input device, wherein said index is extracted from an audio signal captured at a microphone of the input device;

a processor configured to retrieve, from a database, information associated with a segment corresponding to said index; and

an interface configured to provide the retrieved information associated with said segment.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said index is a music identification code.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said index is associated with time formation corresponding to a time that the audio signal is captured.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said index is music data.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the time information is provided with the index through a network for said retrieval from a database.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the information is provided to a user through a network.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the music identification code is recorded by the input device during a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the time information is recorded by the input device at the time of a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the music data is recorded by the input device during a broadcast of at least one of the segments.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the input device records a designation identifying whether the segment is a radio broadcast or a television broadcast.

39. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the provided information is at least one of a title, a singer'"'"'s name, a composer'"'"'s name, songwriter'"'"'s name and a genre.

42. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the index comprises broadcast station information.