Communication system and its method and communication apparatus and its method

• US 8,601,243 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Data Scape Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morohashi, Akihoro
• Primary Examiner(s): Faherty, Corey S
• Application Number:
  US12/835,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 712/225
• 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. An information communication system comprising:

a first device having a first storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom; and

a second device having a second storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom and adapted to transmit content data to at least the first device,

the second device including

first communication means for communicating with the first device,

second communication means for transmitting identification information about content data stored in the second storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found in the external server on the basis of the identification information,

control means

for causing display means to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication means in a first area on one side of the display means, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

for registering in a program list content data stored in the second storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first device and said second device; and

for causing the display means to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area,

wherein the control means controls the first communication means to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the first device in response to the connection with the first device.

2. An information communication method executed between a first device having a first storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom and the second device having a second storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom, comprising:

transmitting identification information about content data stored in the second storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found in the external server on the basis of the identification information;

causing display means to display additional information that matches an input search condition within additional information about the content data stored in the second storage medium in a first area on one side of the display means;

registering in a program list content data stored in the second storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first device and said second device;

causing the display means to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area; and

controlling communication means of the second device to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the first device in response to the connection with the first device.

3. An information communication apparatus comprising:

first communication means for communicating with an external device;

second communication means for transmitting identification information about content data stored in a storage medium that is built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found by the external server on the basis of the identification information;

control means

for causing display means to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication means in a first area on one side of the display means, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

for registering in a program list content data stored in the storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first communication means and an external device; and

for causing the display means to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area, and

the control means controls the first communication means to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the external device in response to the connection with the external device.

4. An information communication method for communicating with an external device via first communication means, comprising:

controlling second communication means to transmit identification information about content data stored in a storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found by the external server on the basis of the identification information;

causing display means to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication means in a first area on one side of the display means, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

registering in a program list content data stored in the storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first communication means and the external device;

causing the display means to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area; and

controlling the first communication means to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the external device in response to the connection with the external device.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program for causing a computer to execute an information communication method for communicating with an external device via first communication means, the program causing the computer to execute an information communication method comprising:

controlling second communication means to transmit identification information about content data stored in a storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found by the external server on the basis of the identification information;

causing display means to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication means in a first area on one side of the display means, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

registering in a program list content data stored in the storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first communication means and said external device;

causing the display means to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area; and

controlling the first communication means to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the external device in response to the connection with the external device.

6. An information communication system comprising:

a first device having a first storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom; and

a second device having a second storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom and adapted to transmit content data to at least the first device,

the second device including

a first communication unit configured to communicate with the first device,

a second communication unit configured to transmit identification information about content data stored in the second storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found in the external server on the basis of the identification information,

a controller configured to

cause a display unit to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication unit in a first area on one side of the display unit, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

to register in a program list content data stored in the second storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first device and said second device; and

to cause the display unit to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area,

wherein the controller controls the first communication unit to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the first device in response to the connection with the first device.

7. The information communication system according to claim 6, wherein the additional information about the content data stored in the second storage medium, which is automatically received from the external server, is at least one of a title name, an artist name, a composer, a lyricist, and a jacket image.

8. The information communication system according to claim 6, wherein the program list is associated with second device identification information for identifying a device corresponding to the program list, and

wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive first device identification information for identifying the first device from the first device, and, when the received first device identification information matches the second device identification information associated with the program list, controls the first communication unit to transfer content data corresponding to the additional information that forms the program list within the content data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium.

9. The information communication system according to claim 6, wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive the first device identification information, and, when the program list associated with the first device identification information is stored in the second storage medium, controls the first communication unit to cause the first communication unit transfer content data corresponding to the additional information that forms the program list within the content data stored in the second storage medium to the first device.

10. The information communication system according to claim 6, wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive a list of content data stored in the first storage medium, and, on the basis of the received list and the program list, controls the first communication unit to transfer content data that is not stored in the first storage medium to the first device.

11. The information communication system according to claim 6, wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive allowable storage capacity information that is information regarding an allowable storage capacity of the first storage medium, and deletes predetermined content data within content data stored in the first storage medium from the first storage medium when a data size of content data that is not stored in the first storage medium within the content data corresponding to the additional information that is registered in the program list is larger than the allowable storage capacity of the first storage medium.

12. The information communication system according to claim 6, wherein the second device further includes

a third communication unit configured to communicate with a third storage medium,

a reading unit configured to read data stored in the third storage medium, and

a compressor configured to compress the data read by the reading unit and to record the compressed data on the second storage medium as content data.

13. An information communication method executed between a first device having a first storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom and the second device having a second storage medium built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom, comprising:

transmitting identification information about content data stored in the second storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found in the external server on the basis of the identification information;

causing a display unit to display additional information that matches an input search condition within additional information about the content data stored in the second storage medium in a first area on one side of the display unit;

registering in a program list content data stored in the second storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first device and said second device;

causing the display unit to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area; and

controlling a communication unit of the second device to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the first device in response to the connection with the first device.

14. An information communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit configured to communicate with an external device;

a second communication unit configured to transmit identification information about content data stored in a storage medium that is built therein or insertable thereinto and removable therefrom to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found by the external server on the basis of the identification information;

a controller configured to

cause a display unit to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication unit in a first area on one side of the display unit, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

to register in a program list content data stored in the storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first communication unit and the external device; and

to cause the display unit to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area, and

the controller controlling the first communication unit to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the external device in response to the connection with the external device.

15. The information communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the additional information about the content data stored in the storage medium, which is automatically received from the external server, is at least one of a title name, an artist name, a composer, a lyricist, and a jacket image.

16. The information communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the program list is associated with second device identification information for identifying a device corresponding to the program list, and

wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive first device identification information for identifying the external device from the external device, and, when the received external device identification information matches the second device identification information associated with the program list, controls the first communication unit to transfer the content data corresponding to the additional information that forms the program list within the content data stored in the storage medium to the external device.

17. The information communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive the first device identification information, and, when the program list associated with the first device identification information is stored in the storage medium, controls the first communication unit to transfer the content data corresponding to the additional information that forms the program list within the content data stored in the storage medium to the external device.

18. The information communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive a list of content data stored in another storage medium that is built in or is insertable into and removable from the external device, and, on the basis of the received list and the program list, controls the first communication unit to transfer content data that is not stored in the other storage medium to the external device.

19. The information communication apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the controller causes the first communication unit to receive allowable storage capacity information that is information regarding an allowable storage capacity of the other storage medium, and deletes predetermined content data within the content data stored in the other storage medium from the other storage medium when a data size of content data that is not stored in the other storage medium within the content data corresponding to the additional information that is registered in the program list is larger than the allowable storage capacity of the other storage medium.

20. The information communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the information communication apparatus further includes

a third communication unit configured to communicate with a third storage medium,

a reading unit configured to read data stored in the third storage medium, and

a compressor configured to compress the data read by the reading unit and to record the compressed data on the storage medium as content data.

21. An information communication method for communicating with an external device via a first communication unit, comprising:

controlling a second communication unit to transmit identification information about content data stored in a storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found by the external server on the basis of the identification information;

causing a display unit to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication unit in a first area on one side of the display unit, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

registering in a program list content data stored in the storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first communication unit and said external device;

causing the display unit to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area; and

controlling the first communication unit to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the external device in response to the connection with the external device.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program for causing a computer to execute an information communication method for communicating with an external device via a first communication unit, the program causing the computer to execute an information communication method comprising:

controlling a second communication unit to transmit identification information about content data stored in a storage medium to an external server, and automatically receiving from the external server additional information about the content data that has been found by the external server on the basis of the identification information;

causing a display unit to display the additional information received from the external server by the second communication unit in a first area on one side of the display unit, the displayed additional information matching an input search condition;

registering in a program list content data stored in the storage medium based on a user designation of the displayed additional information without regard to a connection of said first communication unit and said external device;

causing the display unit to simultaneously display the program list in a second area adjacent to a left or right side of the first area; and

controlling the first communication unit to transfer the content data registered in the program list to the external device in response to the connection with the external device.