INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND TRANSMISSION MEDIUM

• US 20070129007A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Yoji
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• 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: G10H 2240/091 Info, i.e. juxtaposition of unrelated auxiliary information or commercial messages with or between music files metadata G10H2240/075
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/87 accessed over computer networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/553 Data upload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

When a user gets interested in some music he/she listens to somewhere, for example, in a coffee shop, the user records that music in a memory provided in a portable terminal. A processor reads the information stored in the memory and performs a predetermined process on it. The resultant information is stored on a storage device. The information stored on the storage device is then transferred to a server via a communication device. The server searches the database for the title of the music corresponding to the received information, and returns the result to the terminal. Thus, the user can easily get information about the title of the music.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a recording device configured to record music from a music source into a memory device;

a circuit configured to extract identification information from at least part of the music stored in said memory device and acquire information associated with the music based on the identification information; and

a display device configured to display the information acquired with said circuit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording device records the music inputted via microphone.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the music source is a tune whistled or hummed.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the music source is a broadcast.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a telephone.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuit extracts identification information of the at least part of the music after suppressing noises included in the music.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuit acquires a title of the music associated with the music based on the identification information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuit acquires a music content itself associated with the music based on the identification information.

16. A server, comprising:

receiver configured to receive identification information from a mobile phone that can extract the identification information of music from a music source;

searching unit configured to search a database for information associated with the identification information;

transmitter configured to transmit the information to the mobile phone.

17. The server according to claim 16, wherein the music is inputted via microphone included in the mobile phone.

18. The server according to claim 16, wherein the music source is a tune whistled or hummed.

19. The server according to claim 16, wherein the music source is a broadcast.

20. The server according to claim 16, wherein said mobile phone extracts the identification information of the music after suppressing noises included in the music.

21. The server according to claim 16, said transmitter transmits a title of the music associated with the music to the mobile phone.

22. The server according to claim 16, said transmitter transmits a music content itself associated with the music to the mobile phone.

23. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information from a mobile phone that can extract the identification information of music from a music source;

searching a database for information associated with the identification information;

transmitting the information to the mobile phone.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the music is inputted via microphone included in the mobile phone.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the music source is a tune whistled or hummed.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the music source is a broadcast.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein said mobile phone extracts the identification information of the music after suppressing noises included in the music.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein said transmitting step transmits a title of the music associated with the music to the mobile phone.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein said transmitting step transmits a music content itself associated with the music to the mobile phone.

30. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

recording a music from a music source into a storage device;

acquiring information associated with the music based on the music stored in the storage device;

outputting the acquired information.

9. The method according to claim 30, wherein

said acquiring step comprises:

extracting identification information of the music;

transmitting the identification information to a server; and

receiving information, associated with the music, identified based on the identification information in said server.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said recording step records the music inputted via microphone.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the music source is a tune whistled or hummed.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the music source is a broadcast.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein said extracting step extracts identification information of the music after suppressing noises included in the music.

14. The method according to claim 9, said receiving step receives a title of the music associated with the music from said server.

15. The method according to claim 9, said receiving step receives a music content itself associated with the music.