Information processing apparatus and method, and computer program

• US 8,935,236 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morita, Toshihiro, Takaku, Yoshiyuki, Kikkawa, Norifumi, Tanaka, Yoshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chau, Dung K
• Application Number:
  US10/543,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,046 Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• 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 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia

Abstract

An apparatus and method allowing for high-quality data acquisition and playback processing based on content information transmitted from a server to a client are provided. Property information constituting meta-information corresponding to content-associated attribute information stores data-scheme information on original content held by the server, such as file format information, codec information representing an encoded-data scheme, and resolution information. In response to a content information acquisition request from the client, content information including the data-scheme information on the original content is generated and is transmitted to the client. This structure allows the client to output a content transmission request in which the optimum data scheme is determined based on the data scheme of the original content. Therefore, high-quality data acquisition and playback can be achieved.

Claims

1. A content providing server apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry configured to;

receive a content request from a content requesting client apparatus;

determine a set of available data schemes for a content requested by the content request, which includes determining an original data scheme of the content and a set of other available data schemes of the content and wherein the original data scheme of the content and the set of other available schemes of the content include at least file format information;

generate content information indicating which of the set of available data schemes is the original data scheme, based on the determination;

convert the requested content into one or more of the other available content schemes;

transmit the content information including the indication of which of the set of available data schemes is the original data scheme to the content requesting client;

transmit, separately from the original data scheme, resource data obtained from the content information; and

transmit the requested content to the content requesting client based on a selection of one of the set of available data schemes, which includes transmitting the requested content converted into the one or more of the other available content schemes when the one or more of the other available content schemes is selected.

2. The content providing server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content information is included in an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file.

3. A content providing method comprising:

receiving, by a receiver, a content request for content from a content requesting client apparatus;

extracting an original data scheme of original content corresponding to the requested content from a storage unit in a content providing server apparatus;

determining a set of available data schemes for the content requested by the content request, which includes the original data scheme and a set of other available data schemes of the content and wherein the original data scheme of the content and the set of other available schemes of the content include at least file format information;

generating content information, the content information indicating which of the set of available data schemes is the original data scheme, based on the determination;

converting the requested content into one or more of the other available content schemes;

transmitting the content information including the indication of which of the set of available data schemes is the original data scheme to the content requesting client apparatus;

transmitting, separately from the original data scheme, resource data obtained from the content information; and

transmitting, by a transmitter, the content information to the content requesting client apparatus based on a selection of one of the set of available data schemes received from the content requesting client apparatus, which includes transmitting the requested content converted into the one or more of the other available content schemes when the one or more of the other available content schemes is selected.

4. The content providing method according to claim 3, wherein the content information is included in an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file.

5. A non-transitory storage medium having a computer program for causing a computer to perform a content providing method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a receiver, a content request for content from a content requesting client apparatus;

extracting an original data scheme of original content corresponding to the requested content from a storage unit in a content providing server apparatus;

determining a set of available data schemes for the content requested by the content request, which includes the original data scheme and a set of other available data schemes of the content and wherein the original data scheme of the content and the set of other available schemes of the content include at least file format information;

generating content information, the content information indicating which of the set of available data schemes is the original data scheme, based on the determination;

converting the requested content into one or more of the other available content schemes;

transmitting the content information including the indication of which of the set of available data schemes is the original data scheme to the content requesting client apparatus;

transmitting, separately from the original data scheme, resource data obtained from the content information; and

transmitting, by a transmitter, the content information to the content requesting client apparatus based on a selection of one of the set of available data schemes received from the content requesting client apparatus, which includes transmitting the requested content converted into the one or more of the other available content schemes when the one or more of the other available content schemes is selected.