System, apparatus, and program for distributing incidental content

• US 8,112,474 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyoshi, Toshimasa, Nagasaka, Hideo, Tominaga, Takashi, Kimijima, Tadaaki, Inoue, Shigeru, Atsumi, Soichiro, Tokashiki, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): NEURAUTER, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US12/077,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 846/25, 715723-726
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7328 Query by example, e.g. a complete video frame or video sequence graphical querying G06F16/7335
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In response to a request, one of primary content data as a copyrighted work and incidental content data is received from a server. With a music editing and sharing application, the content data is used in a secondary usage fashion for editing in order to produce new incidental content data. The incidental content data is not the one that is produced by arranging directly the primary content data as an editing material but play control information for giving an instruction defining a play mode. The incidental content data is uploaded to an incidental content server.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

communication means for communicating via a network;

primary content information download control means for causing a primary content server to transmit to the information processing apparatus, via the network, specified primary content information, the specified primary content information comprising at least first main information of a primary content;

incidental content information download control means for causing an incidental content server to transmit to the information processing apparatus, via the network, specified incidental content information for a specified incidental content, the specified incidental content information comprising, as second main information, play control information containing an instruction to play the first main information of at least one primary content that is original editing material for the specified incidental content to play the specified incidental content;

edit processing means for generating editing results by performing an edit process that uses, in a permitted usage fashion, at least one of the primary content information retrieved by the primary content information download control means and the incidental content information retrieved by the incidental content information download control means;

incidental content information generating means for generating incidental content information containing a new content based on the editing results of the edit processing means; and

content information upload control means for causing a terminal to transmit to the incidental content server via the network the incidental content information generated by the incidental content information generating means to be stored on incidental content information storage means,

wherein, when the specified incidental content retrieved by the incidental content download control means is to be played on the information processing apparatus and the first main information for the at least one primary content that is indicated by the play control information and is the original editing material is not present on the information processing apparatus, the primary content information download control means causes the primary content server to transmit to the information processing apparatus the at least one primary content as the specified primary content information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary content information includes the first main information and first additional information, the first main information including data for playing a substantial body of the primary content and the first additional information including secondary usage permission setting information related to permission of a permitted usage fashion of the primary content information,

wherein in the incidental content server the incidental content includes the second main information and second additional information, the second main information including play control information containing at least an instruction to play the first main information of the primary content as an original editing material and the second additional information including secondary usage permission setting information related to permission of a permitted usage fashion of the incidental content information, and

wherein the edit processing means performs the edit process within a use range determined by the secondary usage permission setting information contained in the primary content information and the incidental content information to be used in the secondary usage fashion.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

storage location information retrieval means for receiving and retrieving storage location information, the storage location information transmitted from the incidental content server in response to transmission of the incidental content information by the content information upload control means, and indicating a storage location of the transmitted incidental content information in the incidental content server; and

service use control means for enabling personal information transmission service available on the network and transmitting the storage location information, retrieved by the storage location information retrieval means, in the enabled personal information transmission service.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising service use control means for enabling personal information transmission service available on the network to be used,

wherein the incidental content information download control means specifies the incidental content information to be transmitted from the incidental content server and to be retrieved, based on storage location information presented in an environment of a predetermined personal information transmission service used by the service use control means.

5. An information processing method, comprising:

communicating via a network;

causing a primary content server to transmit, via the network, specified primary content information to a terminal, the specified primary content information comprising at least first main information of a primary content;

causing an incidental content server to transmit to the terminal, via the network, specified incidental content information for a specified incidental content, the specified incidental content information comprising, as second main information, play control information containing an instruction to play the first main information of at least one primary content that is original editing material for the specified incidental content to play the specified incidental content;

generating editing results by performing an edit process using, in a permitted usage fashion, at least one of the specified primary content information and the specified incidental content information;

generating incidental content information containing a new content based on the editing results; and

causing the terminal to transmit to the incidental content server via the network the generated incidental content information to be stored on the incidental content server,

wherein, when the specified incidental content is to be played on an information processing apparatus and the first main information for the at least one primary content that is indicated by the play control information and is the original editing material is not present on the information processing apparatus, the at least one primary content is transmitted to the information processing apparatus as the specified primary content information.

6. At least one storage medium having encoded thereon a computer program for causing an information processing apparatus to carry out an information processing method for processing information, the information processing apparatus including an incidental content information storage unit for storing primary content information and incidental content information, the primary content information including at least first main information of a primary content and the incidental content information generated by editing primary content in a secondary usage fashion, the information processing method comprising:

communicating via a network;

setting a storage location of received incidental content information in the incidental content information storage unit when the received incidental content information is stored on the incidental content information storage unit in response to reception of the incidental content information uploaded over the network; and

notifying another information processing apparatus having uploaded the incidental content information of the set storage location,

wherein, the received incidental content information comprises, as second main information, play control information containing an instruction to play the first main information of at least one primary content that is original editing material for the specified incidental content such that, when the received incidental content information is to be played on a second information processing apparatus and the first main information for the at least one primary content that is the original editing material is not present on the second information processing apparatus, the at least one primary content is transmitted to the second information processing apparatus as the specified primary content information.

7. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit communicating via a network;

a primary content information download control unit causing a primary content server to transmit to the information processing apparatus, via the network, specified primary content information, the specified primary content information comprising at least first main information of a primary content;

an incidental content information download control unit causing an incidental content server to transmit to the information processing apparatus, via the network, specified incidental content information for a specified incidental content, the specified incidental content information comprising, as second main information, play control information containing an instruction to play the first main information of at least one primary content that is original editing material for the specified incidental content to play the specified incidental content;

an edit processing unit generating editing results by performing an edit process that uses, in a permitted usage fashion, at least one of the primary content information retrieved by the primary content information download control unit and the incidental content information retrieved by the incidental content information download control unit;

an incidental content information generating unit generating incidental content information containing a new content based on the editing results of the edit processing unit; and

an content information upload control unit causing a terminal to transmit to the incidental content server via the network the incidental content information generated by the incidental content information generating unit to be stored on an incidental content information storage unit,

wherein, when the specified incidental content retrieved by the incidental content download control unit is to be played on the information processing apparatus and the first main information for the at least one primary content that is indicated by the play control information and is the original editing material is not present on the information processing apparatus, the primary content information download control unit causes the primary content server to transmit to the information processing apparatus the at least one primary content as the specified primary content information.