Communication system and its method and communication apparatus and its method

• US 9,736,238 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Data Scape Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Data Scape Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Inventors: Morohashi, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Higa, Brendan
• Application Number:
  US14/747,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• 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 music server comprising:

a memory configured to store compressed musical content data and a program list associated with the compressed musical content data;

a touch sensor;

a data interface configured to interface with a portable apparatus; and

circuitry configured to;

control a connection with an internet server via a network,

control transmission of a user ID via the network, an authentication process of the user ID and a billing process being conducted based on the user ID,

control downloading the compressed musical content data from the internet server via the network,

control storage of the compressed musical content data to the memory,

control display of a title list of the compressed musical content data stored in the memory based on additional data of the compressed musical content data, the additional data including jacket image data of the compressed musical content data and the title list including a jacket image of the compressed musical content data,

edit a program list based on a user input to the displayed title list via the touch sensor without regard to whether the music server is connected to the portable apparatus,

associate the program list with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying the portable apparatus among a plurality of portable apparatus,

control playback of the compressed musical content data based on the program list so that the compressed musical content data referenced in the program list is played back as a collection,

determine whether an identifier received by the circuitry via the data interface is the predetermined identifier in response to a connection of the portable apparatus to the music server,

retrieve the program list among a plurality of program lists stored in the memory based on the determination as to the identifier by the circuitry,

determine whether capacity of a memory of the portable apparatus is enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry,

control transmission of the compressed musical content data to the portable apparatus via the data interface based on the program list in such a way that, of the compressed data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry, the compressed musical content data which is not stored in the portable apparatus is transferred from the music server to the portable apparatus, and

control to provide a warning in a case that the music server and the portable apparatus are disconnected; and

a power supply configured to provide power to the portable apparatus to charge a battery of the portable apparatus while the portable apparatus is connected to the music server.

2. The music server according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry controls a display of the title list in one pane of displayed information, and controls a display of the program list in another pane of the displayed information.

3. The music server according to claim 2, wherein the circuitry compresses musical content data read from a Compact Disc (CD) and generates compressed musical content data.

4. The music server according to claim 3, wherein the circuitry processes a Table of Contents (TOC) read from the CD, controls transmission of information associated with the TOC via the communication line, and controls reception of additional information associated with the CD.

5. The music server according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry does not transmit the compressed musical content data to the portable apparatus via the data interface in a case that the circuitry determines the capacity of the memory of the portable apparatus is not enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry.

6. The music server according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry either deletes data stored in the memory of the portable apparatus, or controls to provide a warning message in a case that the circuitry determines the capacity of the memory of the portable apparatus is not enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry.

7. A method for transmitting musical content data from a music server to a portable apparatus, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory, compressed musical content data and a program list associated with the compressed musical content data;

controlling, using circuitry, a connection with an internet server via a network;

controlling, using the circuitry, transmission of a user ID via the network, an authentication process of the user ID and a billing process being conducted based on the user ID;

controlling, using the circuitry, downloading the compressed musical content data from the internet server via the network;

controlling, using the circuitry, storage of the compressed musical content data to the memory;

controlling, using the circuitry, display of a title list of the compressed musical content data stored in the memory based on additional data of the compressed musical content data, the additional data including jacket image data of the compressed musical content data and the title list including a jacket image of the compressed musical content data;

editing, using the circuitry, a program list based on a user input to the displayed title list via a touch sensor without regard to whether the music server is connected to the portable apparatus;

associating, using the circuitry, the program list with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying the portable apparatus among a plurality of portable apparatus;

controlling, using the circuitry, playback of the compressed musical content data based on the program list so that the compressed musical content data referenced in the program list is played back as a collection;

determining, using the circuitry, whether an identifier received by the circuitry from the portable apparatus is the predetermined identifier in response to a connection of the portable apparatus to the music server;

retrieving, using the circuitry, the program list among a plurality of program lists stored in the memory based on the determination as to the identifier by the circuitry;

determining, using the circuitry, whether capacity of a memory of the portable apparatus is enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry;

controlling, using the circuitry, transmission of the compressed musical content data to the portable apparatus based on the program list in such a way that, of the compressed data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry, the compressed musical content data which is not stored in the portable apparatus is transferred from the music server to the portable apparatus;

controlling, using the circuitry, to provide a warning in a case that the music server and the portable apparatus are disconnected; and

providing power to the portable apparatus to charge a battery of the portable apparatus while the portable apparatus is connected to the music server.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

controlling, using the circuitry, a display of the title list in one pane of displayed information; and

controlling, using the circuitry, a display of the program list in another pane of the displayed information.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

compressing, using the circuitry, musical content data read from a Compact Disc (CD); and

generating, using the circuitry, compressed musical content data.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

processing, using the circuitry, a Table of Contents (TOC) read from the CD;

controlling, using the circuitry, transmission of information associated with the TOC via the communication line; and

controlling, using the circuitry, reception of additional information associated with the CD.

11. The music server according to claim 7, wherein the compressed musical content data is not transmitted to the portable apparatus via the data interface in a case that the circuitry determines the capacity of the memory of the portable apparatus is not enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry.

12. The music server according to claim 7, further comprising either deleting, using the circuitry, data stored in the memory of the portable apparatus, or controlling, using the circuitry, to provide a warning message in a case that the circuitry determines the capacity of the memory of the portable apparatus is not enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including executable instructions, which when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry to:

store, in a memory, compressed musical content data and a program list associated with the compressed musical content data;

control a connection with an internet server via a network;

control transmission of a user ID via the network, an authentication process of the user ID and a billing process being conducted based on the user ID;

control downloading the compressed musical content data from the internet server via the network;

control storage of the compressed musical content data to the memory;

control display of a title list of the compressed musical content data stored in the memory based on additional data of the compressed musical content data, the additional data including jacket image data of the compressed musical content data and the title list including a jacket image of the compressed musical content data;

edit a program list based on a user input to the displayed title list via a touch sensor without regard to whether the music server is connected to a portable apparatus;

associate the program list with a predetermined identifier uniquely identifying the portable apparatus among a plurality of portable apparatus;

control playback of the compressed musical content data based on the program list so that the compressed musical content data referenced in the program list is played back as a collection;

determine whether an identifier received by the circuitry from the portable apparatus is the predetermined identifier in response to a connection of the portable apparatus to the music server;

retrieve the program list among a plurality of program lists stored in the memory based on the determination as to the identifier by the circuitry;

determine whether capacity of a memory of the portable apparatus is enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry;

control transmission of the compressed musical content data to the portable apparatus from the portable apparatus based on the program list in such a way that, of the compressed data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry, the compressed musical content data which is not stored in the portable apparatus is transferred from the music server to the portable apparatus; and

control to provide a warning in a case that the music server and the portable apparatus are disconnected.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the executable instructions when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry to:

control a display of the title list in one pane of displayed information; and

control a display of the program list in another pane of the displayed information.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry to:

compress musical content data read from a Compact Disc (CD) and generates compressed musical content data.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the executable instructions when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry to:

process a Table of Contents (TOC) read from the CD;

control transmission of information associated with the TOC via the communication line; and

control reception of additional information associated with the CD.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the executable instructions when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry not to transmit the compressed musical content data to the portable apparatus via the data interface in a case that the circuitry determines the capacity of the memory of the portable apparatus is not enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the executable instructions when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry to:

either delete data stored in the memory of the portable apparatus, or control to provide a warning message in a case that the circuitry determines the capacity of the memory of the portable apparatus is not enough to store the compressed musical content data in the program list as retrieved by the circuitry.