Communication system and its method and communication apparatus and its method

• US 9,380,112 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• 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, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Aurangzeb
• Application Number:
  US14/229,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20140215095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/60 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 deprecated, only for historical reasons, G06F3/16, G11B
• 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. A communication apparatus configured to transfer data to a portable apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a first list of musical content data;

a data interface configured to detect a connection between the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus; and

circuitry configured to

edit the first list of musical content data based on input from a user without regard to the connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus,

compare the edited first list of musical content data with a list of musical content data stored in the portable apparatus,

control transfer of selected musical content data stored in the communication apparatus to the portable apparatus via the data interface based on a result of the comparison after the connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus is detected, and

control playback of musical content data based on the edited first list of musical content data so that the musical content data referenced in the edited first list of musical content data is played back as a collection, the edited first list of musical content data being associated with an identifier stored in the communication apparatus that uniquely identifies the portable apparatus.

2. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to wait before transferring the selected musical content data until after a judgment has been made that an identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier that is (a) stored in the communication apparatus and (b) associated with the edited first list of musical content data.

3. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to issue a command that causes the portable apparatus to erase musical content data that is stored in the portable apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus of claim 3, wherein the issuance of the command is based on the result of the comparison.

5. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selected musical content data transferred to the portable apparatus are compressed data in AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

6. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

process a Table of Contents (TOC) from a Compact Disc (CD),

send information associated with the TOC to an external server, and

receive information associated with the CD from the external server.

7. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

receive an identifier of the portable apparatus via the data interface,

judge whether the identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier stored in the communication apparatus that uniquely identifies the portable apparatus, and

allow the transfer of the selected musical content data when the identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier stored in the communication apparatus.

8. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to control a display to (a) display a list of music content data stored in the communication apparatus in one area of the display and (b) display the first list of musical content data in another area of the display.

25. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to edit the first list of musical content data before the connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus is detected.

9. A method of a communication apparatus for transferring data to a portable apparatus, the method comprising:

editing a first list of musical content data, stored in a memory, based on input from a user without regard to a connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus;

comparing the edited first list of musical content data with a list of musical content data stored in the portable apparatus;

controlling, by circuitry of the communication apparatus, transfer of selected musical content data stored in the communication apparatus to the portable apparatus via a data interface based on a result of the comparison after the connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus via the data interface is detected, and

controlling, by the circuitry of the communication apparatus, playback of musical content data based on the edited first list of musical content data so that the musical content data referenced in the edited first list of musical content data is played back as a collection, the edited first list of musical content data being associated with an identifier stored in the communication apparatus that uniquely identifies the portable apparatus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of controlling transfer comprises:

waiting before transferring the selected musical content data until after a judgment has been made that an identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier that is (a) stored in the communication apparatus and (b) associated with the edited first list of musical content data.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

issuing a command that causes the portable apparatus to erase musical content data that is stored in the portable apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the issuance of the command is based on the result of the comparison.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected musical content data transferred to the portable apparatus are compressed data in AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

processing a Table of Contents (TOC) from a Compact Disc (CD);

sending information associated with the TOC to an external server; and

receiving information associated with the CD from the external server.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an identifier of the portable apparatus via the data interface; and

judging whether the identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier stored in the communication apparatus that uniquely identifies the portable apparatus, wherein

the step of controlling transfer includes allowing the transfer of the selected musical content data when the identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier stored in the communication apparatus.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling a display to (a) display a list of music content data stored in the communication apparatus in one area of the display and (b) display the first list of musical content data in another area of the display.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method of a communication apparatus for transferring data to a portable apparatus, the method comprising:

editing a first list of musical content data, stored in a memory, based on input from a user without regard to a connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus;

comparing the edited first list of musical content data with a list of musical content data stored in the portable apparatus;

controlling, by the computer, transfer of selected musical content data stored in the communication apparatus to the portable apparatus via a data interface based on a result of the comparison after the connection of the communication apparatus and the portable apparatus via the data interface is detected, and

controlling, by the computer, playback of musical content data based on the edited first list of musical content data so that the musical content data referenced in the edited first list of musical content data is played back as a collection, the edited first list of musical content data being associated with an identifier stored in the communication apparatus that uniquely identifies the portable apparatus.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the step of controlling transfer comprises:

waiting before transferring the selected musical content data until after a judgment has been made that an identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier that is (a) stored in the communication apparatus and (b) associated with the edited first list of musical content data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, where the method further comprises:

issuing a command that causes the portable apparatus to erase musical content data that is stored in the portable apparatus.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the issuance of the command is based on the result of the comparison.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the selected musical content data transferred to the portable apparatus are compressed data in AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) format.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

processing a Table of Contents (TOC) from a Compact Disc (CD);

sending information associated with the TOC to an external server; and

receiving information associated with the CD from the external server.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an identifier of the portable apparatus via the data interface; and

judging whether the identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier stored in the communication apparatus that uniquely identifies the portable apparatus, wherein

the step of controlling transfer includes allowing the transfer of the selected musical content data when the identifier of the portable apparatus corresponds to the identifier stored in the communication apparatus.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

controlling a display to (a) display a list of music content data stored in the communication apparatus in one area of the display and (b) display the first list of musical content data in another area of the display.