Information distributing system, information processing terminal device, information center, and information distributing method

• US 9,454,949 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morio, Minoru, Tange, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi
• Application Number:
  US14/051,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20140037106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast

Abstract

The invention relates to an information distributing system for distributing data to at least one information processing terminal device from an information center storing data. The information distributing system of the invention is structured such that character data, audio data, and both the character data and the audio data are selectively downloaded from the information center to the information processing terminal device on the basis of request information from the information processing terminal device, so that a user makes selection according to a congested state of communication, and effective information collection becomes possible.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to detect whether a portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus, the portable apparatus configured to reproduce content when not mounted to the information processing apparatus using a battery disposed within the portable apparatus;

an interface configured to transmit request information to a server apparatus in communication with the information processing apparatus; and

a memory controller configured to control transfer of information retrieved from the server apparatus to a memory of the portable apparatus when the circuitry detects that the portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to charge the battery of the portable apparatus when the portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface is further configured to receive the request information from the portable apparatus.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store the information retrieved from the server apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information retrieved from the server apparatus is received by the interface in response to the request information transmitted by the interface to the server apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information retrieved from the server apparatus includes at least one of audio data and character data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information retrieved from the server apparatus includes both audio data and character data.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

display the character data, and

output the audio data.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein character data and audio data corresponding to the character data are transferred separately to the memory of the portable apparatus.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to transmit the request information to the server apparatus when the portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus.

10. An information processing method comprising:

detecting, via circuitry of an information processing apparatus, whether a portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus, the portable apparatus configured to reproduce content when not mounted to the information processing apparatus using a battery disposed within the portable apparatus;

transmitting, via an interface of the information processing apparatus, request information to a server apparatus in communication with the information processing apparatus;

controlling, via a memory controller of the information processing apparatus, transfer of information retrieved from the server apparatus to a memory of the portable apparatus when the circuitry detects that the portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus; and

charging, via the circuitry of the information processing apparatus, the battery of the portable apparatus when the portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving, via the interface of the information processing apparatus, the request information from the portable apparatus.

12. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising storing, to a memory of the information processing apparatus, the information retrieved from the server apparatus.

13. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving, via the interface of the information processing apparatus, the information retrieved from the server apparatus in response to the transmitting of the request information to the server apparatus.

14. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the information retrieved from the server apparatus includes at least one of audio data and character data.

15. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the information retrieved from the server apparatus includes both audio data and character data.

16. The information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising:

displaying, via the circuitry of the information processing apparatus, the character data, and

outputting, via the circuitry of the information processing apparatus, the audio data.

17. The information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising controlling, via the memory controller, transfer of character data and audio data corresponding to the character data separately to the memory of the portable apparatus.

18. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising transmitting, via the interface of the information processing apparatus, the request information to the server apparatus when the portable apparatus is mounted to the information processing apparatus.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to implement the information processing method according to claim 10.