Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program

• US 8,782,170 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kikkawa, Norifumi, Honda, Yasuaki, Sakoh, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAO, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US10/550,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,772 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

An apparatus and method that, in transmission and playback of content between a server and a client, efficiently executes playing back part of content, such as an impressive portion, is provided. By setting index information as partial data region identification information in property information corresponding to content retained by the server, when a content request from the client includes partial playback specification information, the index information is acquired from the property information corresponding to the specified content, and the content is acquired and transmitted to the client. This configuration enables the client to enjoy playback of content of only particular partial data such as an impressive portion of content received from a server or a user'"'"'s favorite portion.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for executing content transmission comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device storing instructions for configuring the processor, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to;

generate content request data, the content request data including a partial playback identifier indicating that playback of a portion of the content is requested;

transmit the content request data to a server through a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP);

receive, from the server, the content and property information associated with the received content, the property information including a position within the received content of the portion of the content to be played back and a length of the portion of the content to be played back, wherein the property information is expressed in XML within a received UPnP datagram;

generate a graphical user interface based on the property information, the graphical user interface comprising;

a graphical representation of a content list in the form of a table including the received content and the property information, and

a progress bar that indicates a starting position of the portion of the content to be played back and the length of the portion of the content to be played back, wherein both the location of the progress bar within the graphical user interface and the size of the progress bar vary based on the starting position of the portion of the content to be played back and the length of the portion of the content to be played back;

display the graphical user interface to a user, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive;

first input from the user for editing the position within the received content of the portion of the content to be played back; and

second input from the user that is distinct from the first input for editing the length of the portion of the content to be played back; and

control playback of the received content such that the portion of the content having the edited position and the edited length is played back.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated graphical user interface comprises playback-position information that represents a playback position based on an elapse of time from the starting position of the portion of the content to be played back.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the playback-position information comprises a playback graphic that moves along the progress bar as time elapses.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the property information includes access permissions for at least one of rewriting, addition, or deletion of elements of the property information.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to update the property information and transmit the updated property information to the server.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to receive, from the server, a report of updating completion.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content list comprises a plurality of data fields, and wherein the data fields are displayed in different colors.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content includes a plurality of different classes of data, and wherein the generated content request data is based on a single specified class of data.

9. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a client to perform a method for acquiring content, the method comprising:

generating content request data, the content request data including a partial playback identifier indicating that playback of a portion of the content is requested;

transmitting the content request data to a server through a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP);

receiving, from the server, the content and property information associated with the received content, the property information including a position within the received content of the portion of the content to be played back and a length of the portion of the content to be played back, wherein the property information is expressed in XML within a received UPnP datagram;

generating a graphical user interface based on the property information, the graphical user interface comprising;

a graphical representation of a content list in the form of a table including the received content and the property information, and

a progress bar that indicates a starting position of the portion of the content to be played back and the length of the portion of the content to be played back, wherein both the location of the progress bar within the graphical user interface and the size of the progress bar vary based on the starting position of the portion of the content to be played back and the length of the portion of the content to be played back;

displaying the graphical user interface to a user, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive;

first input from the user for editing the position within the received content of the portion of the content to be played back; and

second input from the user that is distinct from the first input for editing the length of the portion of the content to be played back; and

controlling playback of the received content such that the portion of the content having the edited position and the edited length is played back.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the generated graphical user interface comprises playback-position information that represents a playback position based on an elapse of time from the starting position of the portion of the content to be played back.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the playback-position information comprises a playback graphic that moves along the progress bar as time elapses.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the property information includes access permissions for at least one of rewriting, addition, or deletion of elements of the property information.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises updating the property information and transmitting the updated property information to the server.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the method comprises receiving, from the server, a report of updating completion.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the content list comprises a plurality of data fields, and wherein the data fields are displayed in different colors.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the content includes a plurality of different classes of data, and wherein the generated content request data is based on a single specified class of data.