Information processing apparatus and method

• US 8,151,063 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morita, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US11/075,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,583 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/154, 711/170, 709/213, 710/5
• US Class Current: 711/154
• 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 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• 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: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses. A content to be checked out is stored in an automatic-checking-out-destination storage section 113 from musical-piece-file storage sections 108-1 and 108-2 for each external-unit/-medium ID which identifies a PD 5. A GUI section 101 determines through a transfer processing section 103 and a PD plug-in 111 whether the PD 5 has been connected. When it is determined that the PD 5 has been connected, a musical-piece file is checked out from the musical-piece-file storage sections 108 to the PD 5 through a musical-piece management section 104, a file search section 106, and a data base 107 according to the information of the content to be checked out stored in the automatic-checking-out-destination storage section 113. The present invention can be applied to music reproduction software.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transferring content from an information processing apparatus to a portable device, comprising the steps of:

detecting by the information processing apparatus a direct local connection between the information processing apparatus and the portable device;

obtaining a device ID of the portable device when the information processing apparatus is connected to the portable device;

setting a user-specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred to the portable device from the information processing apparatus, said setting step being performed prior to detecting said connection and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

determining by the information processing apparatus whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored;

determining by the information processing apparatus whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which the content can be transferred from the information processing apparatus to the portable device when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

automatically transferring the content to the portable device based on the rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of,

extracting said content based on a predetermined condition.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, not transferring the content to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor perform steps comprising:

detecting by an information processing apparatus a direct local connection between the information processing apparatus and a portable device;

obtaining a device ID of the portable device when the direct local connection to the portable device is detected;

setting a user-specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred to the portable device from the information processing apparatus, said setting step being performed prior to detecting said direct local connection;

determining by the information processing apparatus whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored;

determining by the information processing apparatus whether the portable device has sufficient capacity in which predetermined content can be transferred from the processing device to the portable device when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

automatically transferring the predetermined content to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

8. The medium of claim 7, further having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor perform a further step comprising extracting said content based on a predetermined condition.

9. The medium according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

10. The medium according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

11. The medium of claim 7, further comprising the step of not transferring the content to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

12. The medium according to claim 7, further comprising providing an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

13. An information processing apparatus for storing content, comprising:

a port adapted to connect to a portable device;

a storing unit adapted to store a program having computer readable instructions; and

a processing unit adapted to execute said program stored by the storing unit;

wherein said program when executed by a processor performs steps including;

detecting by the information processing apparatus a direct local connection to the portable device;

obtaining a device ID of the portable device when the connection to the potable device is detected;

setting a user-specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred to the portable device, said setting step being performed prior to detecting said connection and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

determining whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored;

determining by the information processing apparatus whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which the content can be transferred when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

automatically transferring the content to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the program includes extracting said content based on a predetermined condition.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

17. The information processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the program includes not transferring the content to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

18. The information processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the process includes providing an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

19. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a port adapted to connect to a portable device;

storing means for storing content and data related to the content;

means for setting a user-specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred to the portable device;

first determining means for determining in the information processing apparatus whether a direct local connection from the information processing apparatus to the portable device has been detected, said user-specified rule being set prior to said direct local connection being detected and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

obtaining means for obtaining a device ID of the portable device when the connection to the potable device is detected;

second determining means for determining whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored;

third determining means for determining whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which the content can be transferred when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

transferring means for automatically transferring the content to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when it is determined that the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

20. The information processing apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for extracting said content based on a predetermined condition.

21. The information processing apparatus of claim 20, wherein said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

22. The information processing apparatus of claim 20, wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

23. The information processing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the transferring means includes not transferring the content to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

24. The information processing apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for providing an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

25. A portable device comprising:

a connector adapted to directly connect the portable device to an information processing apparatus;

a first transferring unit adapted to transfer a device ID of the portable device to the information processing apparatus when a direct local connection between the information processing apparatus and the portable device is detected by the information processing apparatus;

a storing unit adapted to store content from the information processing apparatus according to a user-specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred, said user-specified rule being set prior to said direct local connection being detected and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection; and

a reproducing unit adapted to reproduce the content stored in the storing unit that was directly transferred from the information processing apparatus,

wherein said content is automatically transferred to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the device ID of the portable device is already stored by the information processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus determines that the portable device has sufficient storage capacity for said content.

26. The portable device of claim 25, wherein said content is extracted based on a predetermined condition.

27. The portable device of claim 26, wherein the said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

28. The portable device of claim 26, wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

29. The portable device of claim 25, wherein the content is not sent to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

30. The portable device of claim 25, wherein the transferring unit includes providing an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

31. A method of storing content to a portable device comprising the steps of:

directly connecting the portable device to an information processing apparatus;

transferring a device ID of the portable device to the information processing apparatus when a direct local connection to the portable device is detected by the information processing apparatus;

storing the content from the information processing apparatus to a user-specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred, said user-specified rule being set prior to said direct local connection being detected; and

reproducing the content stored in said storing step that was sent from the information processing apparatus,

wherein said content is automatically transferred to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the device ID of the portable device is already stored by the information processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus determines that the portable device has sufficient storage capacity for said content.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising extracting said content based on a predetermined condition.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of not transferring the content to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising providing an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

37. A method for transferring content from an information processing apparatus to a portable device, comprising the steps of:

detecting by the information processing apparatus a direct local connection from the information processing apparatus to the portable device;

obtaining a device ID of the portable device when the direct local connection to the portable device is detected;

setting a user specified rule regarding the content to be directly transferred to the portable device, said setting step being performed prior to detecting said direct local connection and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

determining by the information processing apparatus whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored prior to said detecting step, and

automatically transferring an image file from the information processing apparatus to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the device ID of the portable device is already stored and the information processing apparatus determines the portable device has sufficient capacity to hold the image file.

38. An apparatus in an information processing apparatus for transferring content from the information processing apparatus to a portable device, comprising:

a detecting unit adapted to detect at the information processing apparatus a direct local connection from the information processing apparatus to the portable device;

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain a device ID of the portable device when the direct local connection to the portable device is detected;

a rule setting unit that sets a user-specified rule for governing the content to be directly transferred to the portable unit, said user-specified rule being set prior to said detecting unit detecting said direct local connection and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

a determining unit adapted to determine whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored in the information processing apparatus prior to said detecting unit detecting said direct local connection,

a storage unit configured to store the content;

a transfer mechanism configured to transfer an image file automatically to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and, when the device ID of the portable device is already stored and the information processing apparatus determines the portable device has sufficient capacity to hold the image file.

39. A computer-based information processing method for transferring content from an information processing apparatus to a portable device, comprising the steps of:

detecting by the information processing apparatus a direct local connection from the information processing apparatus to the portable device;

obtaining a device ID of the portable device when the direct local connection to the portable device is detected;

setting a user-specified rule regarding the content to be transferred to the portable device, said setting step being performed prior to detecting said direct local connection and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

determining whether the device ID of the portable device is stored;

determining whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which a predetermined image file can be directly transferred from the information processing device when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

automatically transferring the image file to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

40. A computer-based information processing apparatus for transferring content from the information processing apparatus to a portable device, comprising:

a detecting unit adapted to detect at the information processing apparatus a direct local connection from the information processing apparatus to the portable device;

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain a device ID of the portable device when the direct local connection to the portable device is detected;

a user-specified rule setting unit that sets a rule for governing the content to transfer to the portable unit, said user-specified rule being set prior to said detecting unit detecting said direct local connection and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

a first determining unit adapted to determine whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored in the information processing apparatus; and

a second determining unit adapted to determine whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which a predetermined image file can be transferred when the device ID of the portable device is already stored, and

a storage unit configured to store the content;

wherein the image file is automatically transferred to the portable device, based on the user-specified rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

41. An apparatus as part of an information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, programmed to

detect at the information processing apparatus a direct local connection between the information processing apparatus and a portable device;

obtain a device ID of the portable device when the information processing apparatus is connected to the portable device;

set a user-specified rule for the content to be transferred to the portable unit, said rule being set prior to said direct local connection being detected and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

determine whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored in the information processing apparatus;

determine whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which the predetermined content can be transferred from the information processing apparatus to the portable device when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

automatically transfer the content to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

42. The apparatus as claimed in claim 41, further comprising:

not transferring the content to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, being configured to extract said content based on a predetermined condition.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said predetermined condition includes at least one of contents recently listened to, contents transferred less than a predetermined number of times, contents on a favorite play list, contents selected at random, and genre.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the predetermined condition corresponds to one of the device IDs.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, further configured to provide an indication as a function of remaining capacity.

47. An apparatus as part of an information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, programmed to

detect at the information processing apparatus a direct local connection from the information processing apparatus to a portable device;

obtain a device ID of the portable device when the direct local connection to the portable device is detected;

set a user-specified rule for the content to be transferred to the portable unit, said rule being set prior to said direct local connection being detected and said content being held on said information processing apparatus prior to detecting said connection;

determine whether the device ID of the portable device is already stored in the information processing apparatus;

determine whether the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity in which a predetermined image file can be directly transferred to the portable device when the device ID of the portable device is already stored; and

automatically transfer the image file to the portable device based on the user-specified rule and when the portable device has sufficient remaining capacity.

48. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, further comprising program code for not transferring the image file to the portable device when the portable device does not have sufficient remaining capacity.