Communication device, communicate method for communication device, and communication program for communication device

• US 8,073,382 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kikkoji, Hiroyuki, Okuzawa, Nozomu, Yamashita, Shinsuke, Moriya, Jun, Murase, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, NAM TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/564,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,758 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/435.1, 455 303- 306, 455/411, 455/154.1, 455/158.5, 725/22, 725/142, 725/47, 725/48, 725 59- 61, 725/109, 725/62, 725/63, 725/68, 725/78, 725/40, 725/43, 725/46, 725/51, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• 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 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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

A processing unit detects whether externally input user personal information has been stored in a storage medium. A network interface transmits a transmission of available/unavailable request information identifying a broadcast station that broadcast received broadcast information, if the externally input user personal information has not been stored in the storage medium. The network interface receives available/unavailable information in a reply to the transmission. The available/unavailable information shows whether an external device offers a service providing related information about contents included in the received broadcast information. The network interface transmits the externally input user personal information to the external device to request a user registration in accordance with the available/unavailable information, if the processing unit detects that the externally input user personal information is not stored in the storage medium. The network interface transmits request information that requests the related information about the contents.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

detection means for detecting whether or not externally input user personal information has been stored in a storage medium;

communicative means for transmitting request information that requests related information about contents included in received broadcast information,

the communicative means transmitting a transmission of available/unavailable request information identifying a broadcast station that broadcast the received broadcast information, if said detection means detects that said externally input user personal information is not stored in said storage medium,

the communicative means receiving available/unavailable information in a reply to the transmission of said available/unavailable request information, the available/unavailable information showing whether or not an external device offers a service providing said related information about the contents,

the communicative means transmitting said externally input user personal information to the external device to request a user registration in accordance with said available/unavailable information, if said detection means detects that said externally input user personal information is not stored in said storage medium, wherein

said detection means stores said externally input user personal information in said storage medium, if said detection means detects that said externally input user personal information is not stored in said storage medium.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

notification means for notifying whether or not said external device offers the service providing said related information about the contents, based on said available/unavailable information.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

display means for displaying advertisement information to promote said user registration in accordance with said available/unavailable information.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a URL showing advertisement information to promote said user registration is included in said available/unavailable information.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said externally input user personal information includes at least name information corresponding to a name of said communication apparatus.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection means stores said externally input user personal information in said storage medium upon a reception of registration completion information from said external device in response to the user registration.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission means transmits the request information, if the detection means detects that the externally input user personal information has been stored in the storage medium.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request information identifies the broadcast station.

12. The communication method according to claim 6, wherein said externally input user personal information includes at least name information corresponding to a name of said communication apparatus.

9. A communication method implemented in a communication apparatus, the communication method comprising:

detecting whether or not externally input user personal information has been stored in a storage medium;

transmitting available/unavailable request information identifying a broadcast station that broadcast received broadcast information, if said externally input user personal information was not detected in said storage medium in said detecting;

receiving available/unavailable information, showing whether or not an external device offers a service providing related information about contents included in the received broadcast information, in a reply to the transmitting said available/unavailable request information;

transmitting, with the communication apparatus, said externally input user personal information to the external device to request a user registration in accordance with said available/unavailable information, if said externally input user personal information was not detected in said storage medium in said detecting;

storing said externally input user personal information in said storage medium, if said externally input user personal information was not detected in said storage medium in said detecting; and

transmitting request information that requests said related information about the contents.

10. The communication method according to claim 9, further comprising:

displaying advertisement information to promote said user registration in accordance with said available/unavailable information.

11. The communication method according to claim 9, wherein a URL showing advertisement information to promote said user registration is included in said available/unavailable information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a communication program, wherein the communication program, when executed by a computer, makes the computer perform a method comprising:

detecting whether or not externally input user personal information has been stored in a storage medium;

transmitting available/unavailable request information that requests available/unavailable information showing whether or not an external device offers a service providing related information about contents included in received broadcast information, if said externally input user personal information was not detected in said storage medium in said detecting, the available/unavailable information identifying a broadcast station that broadcast the received broadcast information;

receiving said available/unavailable information, showing whether or not said external device offers said service, in reply to the transmitting said available/unavailable request information;

transmitting said externally input user personal information to the external device to request a user registration in accordance with said available/unavailable information, if said externally input user personal information was not detected in said storage medium in said detecting;

storing said externally input user personal information in said storage medium, if said externally input user personal information was not detected in said storage medium in said detecting; and

transmitting request information that requests said related information about the contents.

14. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a processing unit configured to detect whether or not externally input user personal information has been stored in a storage medium; and

a network interface configured to transmit a transmission of available/unavailable request information identifying a broadcast station that broadcast received broadcast information, if said externally input user personal information has not been stored in said storage medium,

the network interface configured to receive available/unavailable information in a reply to the transmission of said available/unavailable request information, the available/unavailable information showing whether or not an external device offers a service providing related information about contents included in the received broadcast information,

the network interface configured to transmit said externally input user personal information to the external device to request a user registration in accordance with said available/unavailable information, if said processing unit detects that said externally input user personal information is not stored in said storage medium,

the network interface configured to transmit request information that requests said related information about the contents, wherein

the processing unit stores said externally input user personal information in said storage medium, if said processing unit detects that said externally input user personal information is not stored in said storage medium.