Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and method

• US 9,660,979 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsui, Yuji, Kuwata, Masayuki, Okegawa, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rosario, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US14/079,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20140123262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00156 with a group of selected individuals or correspondents
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus

Abstract

An information processing system and an information processing apparatus and method for transmitting image data from a portable terminal apparatus, to a different apparatus through a network so that the image data may be managed by the different apparatus. A camcorder image station has a folder for each user of a camcorder and has, in each of the folders, 10 sub folders of album 1 to album 10 to each of which a name is applied in advance. The user of the camcorder transmits images picked up by the user to the camcorder image station so that the images are registered into a predetermined album. The camcorder has an album list of 10 albums of album 1 to album 10 in advance and selects an album of one of the names from within the list to designate an album into which image data should be uploaded.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit at the information processing apparatus configured to store a pre-set plurality of folders, each folder being associated with a respective one of a plurality of users and each folder configured to store a plurality of pre-set albums registered in advance in a respective folder stored in the storage unit, the pre-set albums being listed in a pre-registered list of albums in an information processing device used by the respective user, the storage unit being configured to store user information including image data from the information processing devices used by the respective user;

a reception unit configured to be connected through a network to the user'"'"'s information processing device to receive through the network the user information and designation information transmitted from the information processing device used by the respective user, the designation information being generated prior to the connection to the user'"'"'s information processing device and designating one of the pre-set albums stored in the folder associated with the respective user and being selected by the user from the pre-registered list in the information processing device used by the user;

a recording unit configured to record in the designated album the user information including the image data received by the reception unit; and

a registering unit configured to register in the designated album selected image data selectively accessible by other users,

wherein the information processing apparatus is a central storage station and the information processing devices used by the user are portable terminal apparatuses,

wherein an ID and a password are required for the portable terminal apparatus to access the network, the ID and the password being used for accessing the central storage station,

wherein a list of the albums stored in the folder associated with the user is pre-registered in the portable terminal apparatus used by the user and the list of albums also is stored in the central storage station,

wherein the reception unit receives an instruction to invite other users to access the registered selected data,

wherein the instruction includes text information and addresses of the other users, and

wherein the image data registered in the designated album is accessible by the other users whose addresses are included in the received instruction.

2. An information processing apparatus according claim 1, wherein the information processing device is a video camera.

3. An information processing method performed by a central storage station, comprising the steps of:

storing at the central storage station a pre-set plurality of folders, each folder being associated with a respective one of a plurality of the users and each folder configured to store a plurality of pre-set albums registered in advance in a respective folder stored at the central storage station, the pre-set albums being listed in a pre-registered list of albums in a portable terminal apparatus used by the respective user, and storing user information including image data from the portable terminal apparatus used by the respective user;

receiving through a network the user information and designation information transmitted from the portable terminal apparatus used by the respective user, the designation information being generated prior to the connection to the user'"'"'s portable terminal apparatus to the network and designating one of the pre-set albums stored in the folder associated with the respective user, the designation information being selected by the user from the pre-registered list in the portable terminal apparatus used by the user;

recording in the designated folder the received user information including the image data; and

registering in the designated folder selected image data selectively accessible by other users,

wherein an ID and a password are required for the portable terminal apparatus to access the network, the ID and the password being used for accessing the central storage station,

wherein a list of the albums stored in the folder associated with the user is pre-registered in the portable terminal apparatus used by the user and the list of albums also is stored in the central storage station,

wherein the receiving step receives an instruction to invite other users to access the registered selected data,

wherein the instruction includes text information and addresses of the other users, and

wherein the image data registered in the designated album is accessible by the other users whose addresses are included in the received instruction.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for storing a computer program that when executed on a computer causes information processing, the program comprising the steps of:

storing at a central storage station a pre-set plurality of folders, each folder being associated with a respective one of a plurality of the users and each folder configured to store a plurality of pre-set albums registered in advance in a respective folder stored at the central storage station, the pre-set albums being listed in a pre-registered list of albums in a portable terminal apparatus used by the respective user, and storing user information including image data from the portable terminal apparatus used by the respective user;

receiving through a network the user information and designation information transmitted from the portable terminal apparatus used by the respective user, the designation information being generated prior to the connection to the user'"'"'s portable terminal apparatus to the network and designating one of the pre-set albums stored in the folder associated with the respective user, the designation information being selected by the user from the pre-registered list in the portable terminal apparatus used by the user;

recording in the designated folder the received user information including the image data; and

registering in the designated folder selected image data selectively accessible by other users,

wherein an ID and a password are required for the portable terminal apparatus to access the network, the ID and the password being used for accessing a central storage station,

wherein a list of the albums stored in the folder associated with the user is pre-registered in the portable terminal apparatus used by the user and the list of albums also is stored in the central storage station,

wherein the receiving step receives an instruction to invite other users to access the registered selected data,

wherein the instruction includes text information and addresses of the other users, and

wherein the image data registered in the designated album is accessible by the other users whose addresses are included in the received instruction.

5. A portable terminal apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a pre-set list of a plurality of folders, each folder being stored at a central storage location, each folder being associated with a user and each folder configured to store a plurality of albums, the storage unit at the portable terminal apparatus storing a list of a plurality of pre-set albums, the list being registered in advance at the portable terminal apparatus;

a designation unit configured to designate a predetermined folder from the stored list and to designate from the list of albums one of the pre-set albums in the predetermined folder selected by the user;

a transmission unit configured to be connected via a network to the central storage location to transmit to the central storage location through the network designation information which designates the predetermined folder and the selected pre-set album designated by the designation unit and to transmit user information including image data to be stored in the pre-set album in the designated predetermined folder, the designation information being generated before the transmission unit is connected to the central storage location;

a registering unit configured to register in the designated album selected image data selectively accessible by other users,

wherein an ID and a password are required for the portable terminal apparatus to access the network, the ID and the password also being used for accessing the central storage station,

wherein the list of albums stored in the folder associated with the user is pre-registered in the portable terminal apparatus and the albums identified in the list of albums are stored in the central storage station,

wherein the transmission unit transmits an instruction to invite other users to access the registered selected image data,

wherein the instruction includes text information and addresses of the other users, and

wherein the image data registered in the designated album is accessible by the other users whose addresses are included in the received instruction.

6. An information processing apparatus according claim 5, wherein the information processing apparatus is a video camera.

7. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

storing, at a portable terminal apparatus, a pre-set list of a plurality of folders, each folder being stored at a central storage station, each folder being associated with a user and each folder configured to store a plurality of albums, the storage unit at the portable terminal apparatus storing a list of a plurality of pre-set albums, the list being registered in advance at the portable terminal apparatus;

designating a predetermined folder from the stored list and designating from the list of albums one of the pre-set albums in the predetermined folder selected by the user;

connecting to a network and transmitting, through the network to the central storage station, designation information which designates the predetermined folder and the selected pre-set album designated by the designating step and transmitting user information including image data to be stored in the pre-set album in the designated predetermined folder, the designation information being generated before the portable terminal apparatus is connected to the central storage location;

registering in the designated album selected image data selectively accessible by other users,

wherein an ID and a password are required for the portable terminal apparatus to access the network, the ID and the password also being used for accessing the central storage station,

wherein the list of albums stored in the folder associated with the user is pre-registered in the portable terminal apparatus and the albums identified in the list of albums are stored in the central storage station,

wherein an instruction to invite other users to access the registered selected image data is transmitted,

wherein the instruction includes text information and addresses of the other users, and

wherein the image data registered in the designated album is accessible by the other users whose addresses are included in the received instruction.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for storing a computer program that when executed on a computer causes information processing, the program comprising the steps of:

storing, at a portable terminal apparatus, a pre-set list of a plurality of folders, each folder being stored at a central storage station, each folder being associated with a user and each folder configured to store a plurality of albums, and storing at the portable terminal apparatus a list of a plurality of pre-set albums, the list being registered in advance at the portable terminal apparatus;

designating a predetermined folder from the stored list and designating from the list of albums one of the pre-set albums in the predetermined folder selected by the user;

connecting to a network and transmitting, through the network to the central storage station, designation information which designates the predetermined folder and the selected pre-set album designated by the designating step and transmitting user information including image data to be stored in the pre-set album in the designated predetermined folder, the designation information being generated before the portable terminal apparatus is connected to the central storage location;

registering in the designated album selected image data selectively accessible by other users,

wherein an ID and a password are required for the portable terminal apparatus to access the network, the ID and the password also being used for accessing the central storage station,

wherein the list of albums stored in the folder associated with the user is pre-registered in the portable terminal apparatus and the albums identified in the list of albums are stored in the central storage station,

wherein an instruction to invite other users to access the registered selected image data is transmitted,

wherein the instruction includes text information and addresses of the other users, and

wherein the image data registered in the designated album is accessible by the other users whose addresses are included in the received instruction.