Communication system and its method and communication apparatus and its method

• US 8,386,581 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• 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): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US12/700,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/231, 709/203, 709/219, 709/213, 715/727, 715/732, 455/3.06, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 709/213
• 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 deprecated, only for historical reasons, G06F3/16, G11B
• 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 to a storage medium;

a communication unit configured to communicate with an external apparatus;

a controller configured

to edit a list so that content data is registered in the list,

to uniquely associate the list with the external apparatus using a unique identification of the external apparatus,

to extract the list associated with the external apparatus from a plurality of lists in the communication apparatus when the external apparatus is connected to the communication apparatus, and

to control transferring of content data registered in the extracted list to the external apparatus.

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

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

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus comprises a display unit, and 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.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to omit the transferring of the content data which is registered in the edited list and stored in the external apparatus.

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 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 a 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), and 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 apparatus during the connection of the external apparatus.

15. A communication method comprising the steps of:

storing content data to a storage medium of a communication apparatus;

communicating said communication apparatus with an external apparatus;

editing a list stored at the communication apparatus so that content data is registered in the list;

uniquely associating the list with the external apparatus using a unique identification of the external apparatus;

extracting the list associated with the external apparatus from a plurality of lists in the communication apparatus when the external apparatus is connected to the communication apparatus; and

controlling transfer of content data registered in the extracted list to the external apparatus.

16. The communication method according to claim 15, wherein the step of editing the list is performed without regard to whether the communication apparatus communicates with the external apparatus.

17. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of starting transfer of the content data in response to connection of the communication apparatus with the external apparatus.

18. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of

controlling a display unit of the communication apparatus 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.

19. The communication method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of editing the list based on an input to at least one of the first window and the second window.

20. The communication method according to claim 15, wherein said step of controlling transfer of content data registered in the extracted list to the external apparatus omits the transfer of content data which is registered in the edited list and stored in the external apparatus.

21. The communication method according to claim 15, wherein content data is data compressed by a method of AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

22. The communication method according to claim 15, wherein the external apparatus is portable and has a hard disk or a flash memory to store the transferred content data.

23. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

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.

24. The communication method according to claim 23, wherein the associated data is at least one of a title, artist name, composer name, lyricist name, lyric, and jacket image.

25. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

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.

26. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising a touch panel configured to receive the user input.

27. The communication method according to claim 15, wherein the communication apparatus comprises a wireless communication unit.

28. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of charging a battery of the external apparatus during the connection of the communication apparatus to the external apparatus.

29. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program code configured to implement the following procedures:

storing content data to a storage medium of a communication apparatus;

communicating said communication apparatus with an external apparatus;

editing a list stored at the communication apparatus so that content data is registered in the list;

uniquely associating the list with the external apparatus using a unique identification of the external apparatus;

extracting a list associated with the external apparatus from a plurality of lists in the communication apparatus when the external apparatus is connected to the communication apparatus; and

controlling transfer of content data registered in the extracted list to the external apparatus.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, wherein the procedure of editing the list is performed without regard to whether the communication apparatus communicates with the external apparatus.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, further configured to implement the procedure of starting transfer of the content data in response to connection of the communication apparatus with the external apparatus.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, further configured to implement the procedure of controlling a display unit of the communication apparatus 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.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 32, further configured to implement the procedure of editing the list based on an input to at least one of the first window and the second window.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, wherein said procedure of controlling transfer of content data registered in the extracted list to the external apparatus omits the transfer of content data which is registered in the edited list and stored in the external apparatus.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, wherein content data is data compressed by a method of AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, wherein the external apparatus is portable and has a hard disk or a flash memory to store the transferred content data.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, configured to implement the further procedures of 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.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 37, wherein the associated data is at least one of a title, artist name, composer name, lyricist name, lyric, and jacket image.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, configured to implement the further procedures of 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.

40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, wherein the communication apparatus comprises a wireless communication unit.

41. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 29, further configured to implement the procedure of charging a battery of the external apparatus during the connection of the communication apparatus to the external apparatus.

42. A communication system comprising:

an external apparatus;

a storage unit configured to store content data to a storage medium;

a communication unit configured to communicate with the external apparatus;

a controller configured

to edit a list so that content data is registered in the list,

to uniquely associate the list with the external apparatus using a unique identification of the external apparatus,

to extract the list associated with the external apparatus from a plurality of lists in the communication unit when the external apparatus is connected to the communication apparatus, and

to control transferring of content data registered in the extracted list to the external apparatus.