Communication system and its method and communication apparatus and its method

• US 8,122,163 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Data Scape Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morohashi, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorrell, Eron J
• Application Number:
  US12/034,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• 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: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2525 Magneto-optical [MO] discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/16 Solid state audio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 : for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand

Abstract

This invention relates to a communication system including a first apparatus having a first storage medium, and a second apparatus for transmitting data to the first apparatus, the second apparatus comprising: a second storage medium for storing management information of data to be transferred to the first storage medium; communication means for communicating data with the first apparatus; edit means capable of editing the management information; and control means for making a control to transfer data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium by way of the communication means on the basis of the management information edited by the edit means.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store content data and associated data of the content data to a storage medium;

a communication unit;

a controller configured to

control a display unit to display the associated data,

make a transfer list of content data based on a user input to the displayed associated data, the transfer list being associated with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying a predetermined external reproduction apparatus,

determine whether an identifier received by the communication unit is the predetermined identifier, and

control the transferring of the content data to the predetermined external reproduction apparatus according to the transfer list when the received identifier is the predetermined identifier,

wherein the controller controls playback of content data with the transfer list so that the content data registered in the transfer list is played back as a unit of playback.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to edit the list without regards whether the communication apparatus communicates with the external reproduction apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to start transferring of the content data in response to connection of the external reproduction apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display

a first window in which associated data of the content data stored in the storage medium is displayed, and

a second window in which associated data of the content data registered in the list is displayed.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to edit the list based on the input to at least one of the first window and the second window to create an edited list.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured

to compare the edited list with a list of content data stored in the external reproduction apparatus, and

to omit the transferring of the content data which is registered in the edited list and stored in the external reproduction apparatus based on the result of the comparison.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein content data is compressed by a method of AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external reproduction apparatus is portable and has a hard disk or a flash memory to store the transferred content data.

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

a reader configured to read out a TOC (Table of Contents) from a CD (Compact Disc); and

an interface unit configured to transmit information based on the TOC to an external server and to receive associated data of the CD from the external server.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the associated data is at least one of title, artist name, composer name, lyricist name, lyric, and jacket image.

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

a reader configured to read out content data from a CD (Compact Disc),

wherein the controller controls compression of content data of the CD and storage of the compressed content data to the storage medium.

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

a touch panel configured to receive the user input.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is a wireless communication unit.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control charging a battery of the external reproduction apparatus during the connection of the external reproduction apparatus.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is further configured to store a plurality of lists of content data to the storage medium, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control the transferring of content data registered in one of the plurality of lists.

16. A communication method comprising:

storing content data and associated data of the content data to a storage medium;

displaying the associated data on a display unit;

making a transfer list of content data based on a user input to the displayed associated data, the transfer list being associated with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying a predetermined external reproduction apparatus,

determining whether an identifier received by a communication unit is the predetermined identifier, and

controlling the transferring of the content data to the predetermined external reproduction apparatus according to the transfer list when the received identifier is the predetermined identifier, and

controlling playback of content data with the transfer list so that the content data registered in the transfer list is played back as a unit of playback.

17. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

editing the list without regards whether the communication apparatus communicates with the external reproduction apparatus.

18. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

starting transferring of the content data in response to connection of the external reproduction apparatus.

19. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a first window in which associated data of the content data stored in the storage medium is displayed; and

displaying a second window in which associated data of the content data registered in the list is displayed.

20. The communication method according to claim 19, further comprising:

editing the list based on the input to at least one of the first window and the second window to create an edited list.

21. The communication method according to claim 20, further comprising:

comparing the edited list with a list of content data stored in the external reproduction apparatus, and

omitting the transferring of the content data which is registered in the edited list and stored in the external reproduction apparatus based on the result of the comparison.

22. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

compressing the content data with a method of AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

23. The communication method according to claim 16, wherein the external reproduction apparatus is portable and has a hard disk or a flash memory to store the transferred content data.

24. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

reading out a TOC (Table of Contents) from a CD (Compact Disc); and

transmitting information based on the TOC to an external server and receiving associated data of the CD from the external server.

25. The communication method according to claim 24, wherein the associated data is at least one of title, artist name, composer name, lyricist name, lyric, and jacket image.

26. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

reading out content data from a CD (Compact Disc); and

controlling compression of content data of the CD and storage of the compressed content data to the storage medium.

27. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

receive the user input through a touch panel.

28. The communication method according to claim 16, wherein transferring content data includes transferring content data with a wireless communication unit.

29. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling charging a battery of the external reproduction apparatus during the connection of the external reproduction apparatus.

30. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

storing a plurality of lists of content data to the storage medium; and

controlling the transferring of content data registered in one of the plurality of lists.

31. A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

storing content data and associated data of the content data to a storage medium;

displaying the associated data on a display unit;

making a transfer list of content data based on a user input to the displayed associated data, the transfer list being associated with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying a predetermined external reproduction apparatus,

determining whether an identifier received by a communication unit is the predetermined identifier, and

controlling the transferring of the content data to the predetermined external reproduction apparatus according to the transfer list when the received identifier is the predetermined identifier, and

controlling playback of content data with the transfer list so that the content data registered in the transfer list is played back as a unit of playback.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

editing the list without regards whether the communication apparatus communicates with the external reproduction apparatus.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

starting transferring of the content data in response to connection of the external reproduction apparatus.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a first window in which associated data of the content data stored in the storage medium is displayed; and

displaying a second window in which associated data of the content data registered in the list is displayed.

35. The computer readable medium according to claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

editing the list based on the input to at least one of the first window and the second window to create an edited list.

36. The computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing the edited list with a list of content data stored in the external reproduction apparatus, and

omitting the transferring of the content data which is registered in the edited list and stored in the external reproduction apparatus based on the result of the comparison.

37. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

compressing the content data with a method of AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

38. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the external reproduction apparatus is portable and has a hard disk or a flash memory to store the transferred content data.

39. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

reading out a TOC (Table of Contents) from a CD (Compact Disc); and

transmitting information based on the TOC to an external server and receiving associated data of the CD from the external server.

40. The computer readable medium according to claim 39, wherein the associated data is at least one of title, artist name, composer name, lyricist name, lyric, and jacket image.

41. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

reading out content data from a CD (Compact Disc); and

controlling compression of content data of the CD and storage of the compressed content data to the storage medium.

42. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

receive the user input through a touch panel.

43. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein transferring content data includes transferring content data with a wireless communication unit.

44. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

controlling charging a battery of the external reproduction apparatus during the connection of the external reproduction apparatus.

45. The computer readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

storing a plurality of lists of content data to the storage medium; and

controlling the transferring of content data registered in one of the plurality of lists.

46. A communication system comprising:

an external reproduction apparatus, the external reproduction apparatus including a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data; and

a communication apparatus including,

a storage unit configured to store content data and associated data of the content data to a storage medium;

a controller configured to

control a display unit to display the associated data;

make a transfer list of content data based on a user input to the displayed associated data, the transfer list being associated with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying a predetermined external reproduction apparatus,

determine whether an identifier received by the communication unit is the predetermined identifier, and

control the transferring of the content data to the predetermined external reproduction apparatus according to the transfer list when the received identifier is the predetermined identifier,

wherein the controller controls playback of content data with the transfer list so that the content data registered in the transfer list is played back as a unit of playback.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein the controller makes the list based on receiving a selection of content data from a user of based on display of metadata related to the content data.

48. The system according to claim 47, wherein the controller makes the list based on receiving the selection of content data from the user of based on display of metadata including a title of the content data and an artist name of the content data.