Terminal device, server device, information processing method, program, and linked application supplying system

• US 9,432,737 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Yasuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castro, Alfonso
• Application Number:
  US14/356,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a terminal device, a server device, an information processing method, a program, and a linked application supplying system, which are capable of executing an application in conjunction with progress of content being viewed at a user'"'"'s home.

The terminal device of the present disclosure is characterized in including a database cache unit that acquires and holds reference data which is held in a database of the server device, and a response generation unit that identifies content of an extraction source of signature data included in a second query in response to the second query transmitted from a separate terminal device belonging to a common network, by referring to the reference data in the database cache unit, and generates a second response to be returned to the separate terminal device, including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content. The terminal device of the present disclosure can be applied to a TV receiver.

Claims

1. A terminal device connectable to a content reproduction device, said terminal device comprising:

a memory having a program stored therein;

a central processing unit (CPU) configured to, during operation, execute the program stored in the memory,

in which upon execution of the program, the CPU causes

(i) signature data representing characteristics of content being reproduced to be extracted from the content being reproduced,

(ii) a first query including at least the extracted signature data to be generated,

(iii) the generated first query to be transmitted for receipt by a server device,

(iv) an application, corresponding to an application identifier included in a received first response which is returned by the server device in response to the first query, to be acquired and executed,

(v) reference data, in which signature data that is held in a database of the server device and represents characteristics of content extracted from the content is associated with a content identifier representing the content of an extraction source and an application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the content, to be acquired and held, and

(vi) content to be identified of an extraction source of signature data included in a second query in response to the second query transmitted from a separate terminal device belonging to a common network, by referring to the reference data, and to generate a second response to be returned to the separate terminal device, including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content.

2. The terminal device according to claim 1, in which upon execution of the program, the CPU further causes

content to be identified of an extraction source of signature data included in the first query, by referring to the reference data, and to generate a third response including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified application, and

an application corresponding to an application identifier included in the generated third response to be acquired and executed.

3. The terminal device according to claim 2,

wherein the generated first query includes at least the extracted signature data and an extraction time stamp representing a timing when the signature data is extracted, and

wherein the executed application acquires associated metadata which is selected by the server device based on the extraction time stamp which is included in the received second response, and performs a predetermined process.

4. The terminal device according to claim 2,

wherein the terminal device is built into the reproduction device which reproduces content, and

wherein upon execution of the program, the CPU further causes all pieces of content which are reproduced by the reproduction device to be supplied to the terminal device.

5. An information processing method for use with a terminal device having a central processing unit (CPU), said terminal device connectable to a content reproduction device, said method comprising:

causing, by use of the CPU,

(i) signature data representing characteristics of content being reproduced to be extracted from the content being reproduced,

(ii) a first query including at least the extracted signature data to be generated,

(iii) the generated first query to be transmitted for receipt by a server device,

(iv) an application, corresponding to an application identifier included in a received first response which is returned by the server device in response to the first query, to be acquired and executed,

(v) reference data, in which signature data that is held in a database of the server device and represents characteristics of content extracted from the content is associated with a content identifier representing the content of an extraction source and an application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the content, to be acquired and held, and

(vi) content to be identified of an extraction source of signature data included in a second query in response to the second query transmitted from a separate terminal device belonging to a common network, by referring to the reference data, and to generate a second response to be returned to the separate terminal device, including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program to cause a computer of a terminal device connectable to a content reproduction device to perform a method, said method comprising:

causing signature data representing characteristics of content being reproduced to be extracted from the content being reproduced;

causing a first query including at least the extracted signature data to be generated;

causing the generated first query to be transmitted for receipt by a server device;

causing an application, corresponding to an application identifier included in a received first response which is returned by the server device in response to the first query, to be acquired and executed;

causing reference data, in which signature data that is held in a database of the server device and represents characteristics of content extracted from the content is associated with a content identifier representing the content of an extraction source and an application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the content, to be acquired and held; and

causing content to be identified of an extraction source of signature data included in a second query in response to the second query transmitted from a separate terminal device belonging to a common network, by referring to the reference data, and to generate a second response to be returned to the separate terminal device, including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content.

7. A linked application supplying system comprising a terminal device and a server device,

wherein the terminal device includes:

a memory having a program stored therein;

a central processing unit (CPU) configured to, during operation, execute the program stored in the memory, in which upon execution of the program, the CPU causes

(i) signature data representing characteristics of content being reproduced to be extracted from the content being reproduced,

(ii) a first query including at least the extracted signature data to be generated,

(iii) the generated first query to be transmitted for receipt by the server device,

(iv) an application, corresponding to an application identifier included in a received first response which is returned by the server device in response to the first query, to be acquired and executed,

(v) reference data, in which signature data that is held in a database of the server device and represents characteristics of content extracted from the content is associated with a content identifier representing the content of an extraction source and an application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the content, to be acquired and held, and

(vi) content to be identified of an extraction source of signature data included in a second query in response to the second query transmitted from a separate terminal device belonging to a common network, by referring to the reference data, and to generate a second response to be returned to the separate terminal device, including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content;

wherein the server device includes;

a second memory to hold the reference data;

a second CPU configured to, during operation, cause content to be identified of an extraction source of signature data included in the first query transmitted from the terminal device, by referring to the reference data, and to generate the first response including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content; and

a communication interface to transmit the generated first response to the terminal device and to supply the reference data held in the second memory to the terminal device through a predetermined network.