Mobile electronic device, content playback device, content acquisition method, content location notification method, content acquisition program, and content use system

• US 8,392,525 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Todoroki, Kaneo
• Primary Examiner(s): Yohannes, Tesfay
• Application Number:
  US12/506,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 725/61, 705/59
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A mobile electronic device includes a communication unit connected to a network to which one or more content playback devices and one or more content holding devices are connected, a location query request sending unit that sends to the content playback devices on the network a location query request about content being played back by a content playback device connected to the network, a location query response receiving unit that receives a location query response about the content through the communication unit via the network in accordance with the location query request, a provision request sending unit that sends a provision request for providing the content through the communication unit to a content holding device that holds the content in accordance with the received location query response, and a content receiving unit that receives the content through the communication unit via the network in accordance with the provision request.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

communication means for performing communication by connecting to a network to which a plurality of content playback devices and one or more content holding devices are connected;

location query request sending means for generating a location query request about content being played back by one of the plurality of content playback devices connected to the network and sending the location query request to at least the one of the plurality of content playback devices on the network;

location query response receiving means for receiving a location query response about the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices from the one of the plurality of content playback devices through the communication means, the location query response being sent via the network in accordance with the location query request and including address information corresponding to a content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices;

provision form receiving means for receiving an instruction input of a content provision form in which content is provided;

provision request sending means for generating a provision request for requesting that content be provided in the content provision form received in the provision form receiving means and sending the provision request through the communication means to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices in accordance with the address information included in the received location query response; and

content receiving means for receiving through the communication means content that is sent from the content holding device via the network in accordance with the provision request.

2. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

device query request sending means for generating a device query request about the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content and sending the device query request to the plurality of content playback devices on the network through the communication means; and

device query response receiving means for receiving through the communication means a device query response indicating the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content, the device query response being sent via the network in accordance with the device query request,

wherein the location query request sending means sends the location query request to the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content, the one of the plurality of content playback devices being specified by the device query response received in the device query response receiving means.

3. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

device query request sending means for generating a device query request about the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content and sending the device query request to the plurality of content playback devices on the network through the communication means;

device query response receiving means for receiving through the communication means a device query response indicating the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is performing playback, the device query response being sent via the network in accordance with the device query request;

display control means for, when the device query response is received from each of the plurality of content playback devices through the device query response receiving means, based on the device query responses, displaying a playback device selection screen for selecting a content playback device on display means; and

selection input receiving means for receiving a selection input of a desired content playback device on the playback device selection screen,

wherein the location query request sending means sends the location query request to a content playback device specified by the device query response from the content playback device selected through the selection input receiving means.

4. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the content provision form includes at least one of a form for providing only an item of content being played back, a form for providing a plurality of items of content in a predetermined group including an item of content being played back, a form for providing an item of content specified in accordance with an author or performer of an item of content being played back, and a form for providing an item of content within a genre of an item of content being played back.

5. A content acquisition method comprising the steps of:

connecting through communication means to a network to which a plurality of content playback devices and one or more content holding devices are connected;

generating a location query request about content being played back by one of the plurality of content playback devices connected to the network and sending the location query request to at least the one of the plurality of content playback devices on the network;

receiving a location query response about the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices from the one of the plurality of content playback devices through the communication means, the location query response being sent via the network in accordance with the location query request and including address information corresponding to a content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices;

receiving an instruction input of a content provision form in which content is provided;

generating a provision request for requesting that content be provided in the received content provision form and sending the provision request through the communication means to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices in accordance with the address information included in the received location query response; and

receiving through the communication means content that is sent from the content holding device via the network in accordance with the provision request.

6. The content acquisition method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

generating a device query request about the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content and sending the device query request to the plurality of content playback devices on the network through the communication means; and

receiving a device query response through the communication means, the device query response indicating the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is performing playback, the device query response being sent via the network in accordance with the device query request,

wherein in the step of generating a location query request, the location query request is sent to the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content, the one of the plurality of content playback devices being specified by the device query response received in the step of receiving a device query response.

7. The content acquisition method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

generating a device query request about the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is playing back content and sending the device query request to the plurality of content playback devices on the network through the communication means;

receiving a device query response through the communication means, the device query response indicating the one of the plurality of content playback devices that is performing playback, the device query response being sent via the network in accordance with the device query request;

when the device query response is received from each of the plurality of content playback devices in the step of receiving a device query response, based on the device query responses, displaying a playback device selection screen for selecting a content playback device on display means; and

receiving a selection input of a desired content playback device on the playback device selection screen,

wherein in the step of generating a location query request, the location query request is sent to a content playback device specified by the device query response from the content playback device selected in the step of receiving a selection input.

8. The content acquisition method according to claim 5, wherein the content provision form includes at least one of a form for providing only an item of content being played back, a form for providing a plurality of items of content in a predetermined group including an item of content being played back, a form for providing an item of content specified in accordance with an author or performer of an item of content being played back, and a form for providing an item of content within a genre of an item of content being played back.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-readable content acquisition program for causing a computer provided in a mobile electronic device to execute the steps of:

connecting through communication means to a network to which a plurality of content playback devices and one or more content holding devices are connected;

generating a location query request about content being played back by one of the plurality of content playback devices connected to the network and sending the location query request to at least the one of the plurality of content playback devices on the network;

receiving a location query response about the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices from the one of the plurality of content playback devices through the communication means, the location query response being sent via the network in accordance with the location query request and including address information corresponding to a content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices;

receiving an instruction input of a content provision form in which content is provided;

generating a provision request for requesting that content be provided in the received content provision form and sending the provision request through the communication means to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices in accordance with the address information included in the received location query response; and

receiving through the communication means content that is sent from the content holding device via the network in accordance with the provision request.

10. A content use system comprising:

a mobile electronic device including

communication means for performing communication by connecting to a network to which a content playback device and a content holding device are connected,

location query request sending means for generating a location query request about content being played back by the content playback device connected to the network and sending the location query request to the content playback device on the network,

location query response receiving means for receiving a location query response about the content being played back by the content playback device from the content playback device through the communication means, the location query response being sent via the network in accordance with the location query request and including address information corresponding to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the content playback device,

provision form receiving means for receiving an instruction input of a content provision form in which content is provided;

provision request sending means for generating a provision request for requesting that content be provided in the content provision form received in the provision form receiving means and sending the provision request through the communication means to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the content playback device in accordance with the address information included in the received location query response, and

content receiving means for receiving through the communication means content that is sent from the content holding device via the network in accordance with the provision request;

the content playback device including

communication means for performing communication by connecting to the network to which the mobile electronic device and the content holding device are connected,

playback means for playing back content sent to the content playback device from the content holding device via the network and that is received through the communication means,

location query request receiving means for receiving the location query request about content being played back by the content playback device through the communication means, the location query request being sent to the content playback device from the mobile electronic device via the network, and

location query response sending means for, when content is being played back using the playback means and when a location query request to the content playback device is received through the location query request receiving means, generating the location query response including the address information corresponding to the content holding device that sends the content to the content playback device and sending the location query response through the communication means to the mobile electronic device; and

the content holding device including

communication means for performing communication by connecting to the network to which the mobile electronic device and the content playback device are connected,

provision request receiving means for receiving through the communication means from the mobile electronic device the content provision request for providing content, the content provision request being sent to the content holding device from the mobile electronic device via the network, and

content sending means for sending requested content to the mobile electronic device through the communication means in response to the received content provision request.

11. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a communication unit configured to perform communication by connecting to a network to which a plurality of content playback devices and one or more content holding devices are connected;

a location query request sending unit configured to generate a location query request about content being played back by one of the plurality of content playback devices connected to the network and send the location query request to at least the one of the plurality of content playback devices on the network;

a location query response receiving unit configured to receive a location query response about the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices from the one of the plurality of content playback devices through the communication unit, the location query response being sent via the network in accordance with the location query request and including address information corresponding to a content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices;

a user interface configured to receive an instruction input of a content provision form in which content is provided;

a provision request sending unit configured to generate a provision request for requesting that content be provided in the content provision form received at the user interface and send the provision request through the communication unit to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the one of the plurality of content playback devices in accordance with the address information included in the received location query response; and

a content receiving unit configured to receive through the communication unit content that is sent from the content holding device via the network in accordance with the provision request.

12. A content use system comprising:

a mobile electronic device including

a communication unit configured to perform communication by connecting to a network to which a content playback devices and a content holding device are connected,

a location query request sending unit configured to generate a location query request about content being played back by the content playback device connected to the network and send the location query request to the content playback device on the network,

a location query response receiving unit configured to receive a location query response about the content being played back by the content playback device from the content playback device through the communication unit, the location query response being sent via the network in accordance with the location query request and including address information corresponding to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the content playback device,

a user interface configured to receive an instruction input of a content provision form in which content is provided;

a provision request sending unit configured to generate a provision request for requesting that content be provided in the content provision form received at the user interface and send the provision request through the communication unit to the content holding device that holds the content being played back by the content playback device in accordance with the address information included in the received location query response, and

a content receiving unit configured to receive through the communication unit content that is sent from the holding device via the network in accordance with the provision request;

the content playback device including

a communication unit configured to perform communication by connecting to the network to which the mobile electronic device and the content holding device are connected,

a playback unit configured to play back content that is sent to the content playback device from the content holding device via the network and that is received through the communication unit,

a location query request receiving unit configured to receive the location query request about content being played back by the content playback device through the communication unit, the location query request being sent to the content playback device from the mobile electronic device via the network, and

a location query response sending unit configured to, when content is being played back using the playback unit and when a location query request to the content playback device is received through the location query request receiving unit, generate the location query response including the address information corresponding to the content holding device that sends the content to the content playback device and send the location query response through the communication unit to the mobile electronic device; and

the content holding device including

a communication unit configured to perform communication by connecting to the network to which the mobile electronic device and the content playback device are connected,

a provision request receiving unit configured to receive through the communication unit from the mobile electronic device the content provision request for providing content, the content provision request being sent to the

content holding device from the mobile electronic device via the network, and a content sending unit configured to send requested content to the mobile electronic device through the communication unit in response to the received content provision request.