Content-related information providing apparatus, content related information providing method, electronic bulletin board system, and computer program

• US 7,747,696 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Endo, Kohei, Tsuruta, Yasushi, Yamamoto, Tomoyuki, Matsuzaki, Katsuro, Asazu, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gupta; Muktesh G
• Application Number:
  US10/518,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,570 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 725/86, 725/32, 725/35, 725/114
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Each bulletin board is set for the purpose of an argument and information exchange concerning a specific television program. In writing a remark in the bulletin board, a user registers information for specifying a program/scene referred to by the remark together with remark contents. The reference information consists of a broadcasting station at the time when a program is broadcasted and time when a reference part is broadcasted. The reference information is shaped into a predetermined format and transmitted to a terminal apparatus of the user. In the terminal apparatus, it becomes possible to start reproduction of a pertinent program/scene from recorded contents on the based on the received reference information. The terminal apparatus can support creation of information such as a comment concerning each scene in program contents and transmission and reception work of this type of information.

Claims

1. A content related information provision apparatus that provides related information on contents including reference data arranged in time series, the apparatus comprising:

related information receiving means that receives related information on contents from one or more user devices, the related information including an identification of the contents, user remarks to the contents, and a reference time position of the user remarks relating to the contents;

related information storing means that stores the received related information;

reference information receiving means that receives reference information from the one or more user devices, the reference information including a keyword specifying contents to be referred to by the user remarks to the contents, and specifying a time reference position in the contents;

reference information storing means that stores the received reference information;

information delivering means that searches the related information storing means for matching related information that matches at least one of the keyword or the time reference position of the reference information from the reference information receiving means, and transmits the matching related information for displaying on a display at a specific user device from among said one or more user devices, and that delivers at least one of the matching related information or the stored reference information to the one or more user devices;

means that specifies an installation region of a terminal apparatus of the one or more user devices to be a delivery destination according to the information delivering means, the installation region indicating a geographic region where the terminal apparatus of the one or more user devices is installed; and

information changing means that changes contents of related information and/or reference information, which should be delivered, according to the installation region,

wherein the content referred to in the matching related information was already distributed or will be distributed to the one or more user devices.

2. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the contents refer to a broadcast program, and

the reference information includes information specifying a broadcasting station, which broadcasts or has broadcasted a program, and information specifying a date and time when a reference part in a program is broadcasted or has been broadcasted.

3. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference information specifies a broadcasting station, which broadcasts or has broadcasted a program, using a channel number.

4. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference information further includes information for specifying a broadcast starting date and time of the program and information for specifying a broadcast end time of a program or a length of the program.

5. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means includes identification information of a site handling information resources related to contents in the reference information and delivers the identification information.

6. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means includes information for correcting deviation of a clock in a terminal apparatus to be a delivery destination in the reference information and delivers the information.

7. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means includes a characteristic amount of contents at a reference position in the contents in the reference information and delivers the characteristic amount.

8. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means delivers plural pieces of reference information collectively.

9. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means delivers the related information and/or the reference information in accordance with an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).

10. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means delivers the related information and/or the reference information in accordance with an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

11. A content related information provision apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information delivering means designates a character string, which is capable of identifying reference information, in a header of a delivery message at the time of delivery of reference information.

12. A content related information provision method that provides related information on contents including reference data arranged in time series, the method comprising:

receiving related information on contents from one or more users, the related information including an identification of the contents, user remarks to the contents, and a reference time position of the user remarks relating to the contents;

storing the received related information on contents;

receiving reference information from one or more users, the reference information including a keyword specifying contents to be referred to by the user remarks to the contents, and specifying a time reference position in the contents;

storing the received reference information;

searching the stored related information for matching related information that matches at least one of the keyword or the time reference position of the reference information from the received reference information;

delivering the matching related information for displaying on a display at a specific user device from among one or more user devices, and delivering at least one of the matching related information or the received reference information to the specific user device;

specifying an installation region of a terminal apparatus of the one or more users to be a delivery destination according to the information delivering step, the installation region indicating a geographic region where the terminal apparatus of the one or more users is installed; and

changing contents of related information and/or reference information, which should be delivered, according to the installation region,

wherein the content referred to in the related information was already distributed or will be distributed to the specific user device.

13. A content related information provision method according to claim 12, wherein

the contents refer to a broadcast program, and

the reference information includes information specifying a broadcasting station, which broadcasts or has broadcasted a program, and information specifying a date and time when a reference part in a program is broadcasted or has been broadcasted.

14. A content related information provision method according to claim 12, wherein the reference information further includes information for specifying a broadcast starting date and time of the program and information for specifying a broadcast end time of a program or a length of the program.

15. A computer readable medium having a program recorded thereon written in a computer readable format so as to execute processing to perform a method for providing related information on contents including reference data arranged in time series on a computer system, said method comprising:

receiving related information on contents from one or more users, the related information including an identification of the contents, user remarks to the contents, and a reference time position of the user remarks relating to the contents;

storing the received related information on contents;

receiving reference information from one or more users, the reference information including a keyword specifying contents to be referred to by the user remarks to the contents, and specifying a time reference position in the contents;

storing the received reference information;

searching the stored related information for matching related information that matches at least one of the keyword or the time reference position of the reference information from the received reference information;

delivering the matching related information for displaying on a display at a specific user device from among one or more user devices, and delivering at least one of the matching related information or the received reference information to the specific user device;

specifying an installation region of a terminal apparatus of the one or more users to be a delivery destination according to the information delivering step, the installation region indicating a geographic region where the terminal apparatus of the one or more users is installed; and

changing contents of related information and/or reference information, which should be delivered, according to the installation region,

wherein the content referred to in the related information was already distributed or will be distributed to the specific user device.

16. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein

the contents refer to a broadcast program, and

the reference information includes information specifying a broadcasting station, which broadcasts or has broadcasted a program, and information specifying a date and time when a reference part in a program is broadcasted or has been broadcasted.

17. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the reference information further includes information for specifying a broadcast starting date and time of the program and information for specifying a broadcast end time of a program or a length of the program.

18. A bulletin board system that supports information exchange for contents including reference data arranged in time series, the system comprising:

a related information receiver configured to receive related information from one or more user devices, the related information including an identification of the contents, user remarks to the contents, and a reference time position of the user remarks relating to the contents;

a related information storing unit configured to store the received related information;

a reference information receiver configured to receive reference information from the one or more user devices, the reference information including a keyword specifying contents to be referred to by the user remarks to the contents, and specifying a time reference position in the contents;

a reference information storing unit that stores the received reference information;

an information processing unit configured to search the related information storing unit for matching related information that matches at least one of the keyword or the time reference position of the reference information from the reference information receiver, and transmit the matching related information for displaying on a display at a specific user device from among said one or more user devices, and to transmit at least one of the matching related information or the stored reference information to the one or more user devices;

means that specifies an installation region of a terminal apparatus of the one or more user devices to be a provision destination of information, the installation region indicating a geographic region where the terminal apparatus of the one or more user devices is installed; and

means that changes contents of reference information according to the specified installation region,

wherein the content referred to in the matching related information was already distributed or will be distributed to the one or more user devices.

19. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein

the contents refer to a broadcast program, and

the reference information includes information specifying a broadcasting station that broadcasts or has broadcasted a program, and information specifying a date and time when a reference part in the program is broadcasted or has been broadcasted.

20. A bulletin board system according to claim 19, wherein the reference information specifies a broadcasting station, which broadcasts or has broadcasted a program, using a channel number.

21. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to transmit a name of a bulletin board, in which a corresponding remark is written, with the name included in the reference information.

22. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to transmit corresponding remark contents with the user remarks included in the reference information.

23. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to include identification information of a site handling information resources related to contents in the reference information and delivers the identification information.

24. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to include information for correcting deviation of a clock in a terminal apparatus to be a delivery destination in the reference information and delivers the information.

25. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to include a characteristic amount of contents at a reference position in the contents in the reference information and delivers the characteristic amount.

26. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to deliver plural pieces of reference information collectively.

27. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a unit that, in writing of a remark, transmits an execution code for automatically acquiring reference information or urging a user to input a remark to a terminal apparatus side of a requiring source of the one or more user devices.

28. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a unit that, concerning an execution code for automatically acquiring reference information stored in a terminal apparatus of the requesting source of the one or more user devices in advance or urging a user to input a remark, transmits information necessary for starting the execution code to the terminal apparatus.

29. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the transmitting means delivers the reference information in accordance with an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).

30. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the information processing unit is configured to deliver the reference information in accordance with an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

31. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, wherein the transmitting means designates a character string, which is capable of identifying the reference information, in a header of a delivery message at the time of delivery of reference information.

32. A bulletin board system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a specification unit that, concerning a program series to be an object of an argument in a bulletin board, specifies a broadcast schedule for the next broadcast of the series; and

a unit that transmits the broadcast schedule to a terminal apparatus of a request source of the one or more user devices.

33. A bulletin board system according to claim 32, further comprising:

a setting unit that sets a bulletin board for each program series and performs download of the program schedule from a screen displaying information in the bulletin board or a screen displaying a list of the user remarks in the bulletin board.

34. A bulletin board system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a specification unit a rebroadcast schedule for a program to be an object of a remark; and

a unit that transmits the rebroadcast schedule to a terminal apparatus of a request source of the one or more user devices.

35. A bulletin board system according to claim 34, wherein the transmitting means transmits the rebroadcast schedule with the rebroadcast schedule included in reference information.

36. A bulletin board system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a designation unit configured to designate retrieval conditions for a remark; and

a retrieving unit configured to retrieve a remark across plural bulletin boards on the basis of the designated retrieval conditions.

37. A bulletin board system according to claim 36, wherein the bulletin board system uses a keyword included in a remark or designated separately at the time of writing the remark as retrieval conditions.

38. A bulletin board system according to claim 36, wherein the bulletin board system uses a name or an ID of a user who has written the remark as retrieval conditions.

39. A bulletin board system according to claim 36, wherein the bulletin board system uses a date and time when the remark is written as retrieval conditions.