Data processing apparatus, data processing method, data processing system, storage medium and program

• US 8,428,577 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Masafumi, Tange, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/714,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.1, 455/550.1, 709/204, 709/203, 709/245, 705/26
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• 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 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• 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 16/687 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A data processing apparatus is disclosed which includes a reproducing element for reproducing each of a plurality of content data items a reproduction status detecting element for detecting status of each content data item being reproduced by the reproducing element a selecting element for selecting the content data item being reproduced by the reproducing element depending on the reproduction status of the content data item detected by the reproduction status detecting element a content identification data generating element for generating content identification data for identifying the content data item selected by the selecting element from the plurality of content data items and a transmitting element for transmitting to a second data processing apparatus the content identification data generated by the content identification data generating element.

Claims

1. A content data item device comprising;

a communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of portable terminal devices in a communicable area of the content data item device;

a storage unit configured to store content data items; and

a control unit configured to;

detect each one of said plurality of portable terminal devices in the communicable area;

define a maximum number of hops from the content data item device to another portable terminal device outside the communicable area;

receive, from one of said plurality of portable terminal devices in the communicable area, a list representing content data items stored on the one portable terminal device and on at least one other portable terminal device outside the communicable area, a number of hops from the content data item device to the at least one other portable terminal device not exceeding the defined maximum number of hops, said list comprising a representation of at least one content data item indicated on the list as being recommended by a user of the one portable terminal device or by a user of the at least one other portable terminal device, wherein each at least one content item is indicated as being recommended based at least in part on one or both of (1) being reproduced by the one portable terminal device or by the at least one other portable terminal device for at least a predetermined time period and (2) being designated as a favorite of a user of the one portable terminal device or of the at least one other portable terminal device;

identify a content data item indicated as being recommended in a list received from one of the plurality of portable terminal devices that is not stored in said storage unit;

for each content data item indicated as being recommended on a list received from one of the plurality of portable terminal devices, determine a number of lists on which the content data item is indicated as being recommended; and

identify a content data item indicated as being recommended on a greatest number of lists received from said plurality of portable terminal devices.

2. The content data item device of claim 1, wherein said control unit is further configured to cause a list of content data items to be transmitted to at least one of the plurality of portable terminal devices.

3. The content data item device of claim 1, wherein said communication unit establishes an ad-hoc network with at least one of said plurality of portable terminal devices.

4. The content data item device of claim 1, wherein said control unit is further configured to identify a content data item represented on a greatest number of lists received from said plurality of portable terminal devices.

9. The content data item device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to detect the plurality of portable terminal devices at the same time.

5. A method of processing a list of content data items, said method comprising steps of:

wirelessly detecting, by a content data item device storing content data items, a plurality of portable terminal devices when the plurality of portable terminal devices are in a communicable area of said content data item device;

defining, by the content data item device, a maximum number of hops from the content data item device to another portable terminal device outside the communicable area;

receiving, by the content data item device, from one of said plurality of portable terminal devices in the communicable area, a list representing content data items stored on the one portable terminal device and on at least one other portable terminal device outside the communicable area, a number of hops from the content data item device to the at least one other portable terminal device not exceeding the defined maximum number of hops, said list comprising a representation of at least one content data item indicated on the list as being recommended by a user of the one portable terminal device or by a user of the at least one other portable terminal device, wherein each at least one content item is indicated as being recommended based at least in part on one or both of (1) being reproduced by the one portable terminal device or by the at least one other portable terminal device for at least a predetermined time period and (2) being designated as a favorite of a user of the one portable terminal device or of the at least one other portable terminal device;

identifying a content data item indicated as being recommended in a list received from one of the plurality of portable terminal devices which is not stored on the content data item device;

for each content data item indicated as being recommended on a list received from one of the plurality of portable terminal devices, determining a number of lists on which the content data item is indicated as being recommended; and

identifying a content data item indicated as being recommended on a greatest number of lists received from said plurality of portable terminal devices.

6. The method of processing a list of content data items of claim 5, further comprising transferring, by the content data item device, a list of content data items to at least one of the plurality of portable terminal devices.

7. The method of processing a list of content data items of claim 5, further comprising:

establishing an ad-hoc network with at least one of the plurality of portable terminal devices.

8. The method of processing a list of content data items of claim 6, further comprising:

identifying a content data item represented on a greatest number of lists received from said plurality of portable terminal devices.

10. The method of processing a list of content data items of claim 5, wherein the wirelessly detecting further comprises wirelessly detecting the plurality of portable terminal devices at the same time.

11. The method of processing a list of content data items of claim 5, wherein the step of defining is performed prior to the step of wirelessly detecting.

12. The method of processing a list of content data items of claim 5, wherein at least one hop of the number of hops from the content data item device to the at least one other portable terminal device relates to a portable terminal device operating as a repeater between the content data item device and the at least one other portable terminal device.