Sony Corporation

Junichi Kurihara

Tatsuya Akashi

Junko Ozaki

Mika Munenaka

Toru Suzuki

Hiroyuki Sugawara

Naofumi Sakai

Nobuhiro Hisaoka

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a comparison section comparing a pixel signal from a pixel with a ramp signal and outputting a comparison signal. A measurement section starts counting in synchronism with the ramp signal and continues the counting until a signal supplied thereto reverses to measure comparison time. A comparator output controlling section interposed between the output of the comparison section and the input of the measurement section stops, if a pixel signal value exceeds a predetermined value determined based on a tanning phenomenon when the counting is started, the counting when the comparison signal is supplied to the measurement section to reverse the comparison signal, but supplies, if the pixel signal value does not exceed the predetermined value, a signal which is not reversed within a measurement period to the measurement section to continue the counting during the measurement period.

Solid-state imaging apparatus

A content delivery system is disclosed which connects users' terminal apparatuses to a content management unit of a service provider managing a plurality of contents via a computer network, the service provider delivering the contents to the users over the computer network. The content management unit includes: a content file storing element for storing files of the contents; a user-oriented content storing element in which a user area of a predetermined size is allocated to each of the users for the storage of a content owned by the corresponding user; a file managing element for managing the content files stored in the content file storing element and the contents stored in the user areas of the user-oriented content storing element; and a content delivering element for providing the users with streaming delivery of the contents stored in the user areas. Each of the users is charged a usage fee proportional to the user area size allocated to the corresponding user in the user-oriented content storing element.

Content delivery system and content delivery apparatus

A data storage system is disclosed having a plurality of terminal apparatuses of users connected with a data storage unit of a service provider via a computer network, the data storage unit storing data from inside the terminal apparatuses so that the stored data are subsequently used by the users. The data storage unit includes a connecting element, a file storing element, a file managing element, and a data format converting element. In response to a use request from any one of the users, the data format converting element converts stored data in the file storing element into a format compatible with the type of the terminal apparatus used by the requesting user for connection to the system. The converted data is used by the terminal apparatus through which the requesting user has sent the use request.

Data storage system

A service providing apparatus for providing an editing environment for video data recorded on a record medium that is sent is disclosed, that includes a part for creating index pictures using the video data that is sent and transmitting the created index pictures from a first computer to a second computer through a network, and an editor for editing the video data corresponding to edit commands transmitted from the second computer to the first computer through the network as a displayed result of the transmitted index pictures.

Service providing apparatus, service providing method, receiving terminal apparatus, receiving method, and service providing system

A content delivering method for transmitting a content file from a server to a user terminal unit through a network and causing the user terminal unit to stream-reproduce the content file is disclosed. The method includes designating a non-skip area that represents an important portion of a content file. The method further includes transmitting information from the non-skip area from the server to the user terminal unit along with the content file. According to the inventive method, the user terminal unit is caused to determine whether or not the non-skip area has been skipped and when the non-skip area has been skipped, transmits information that indicates that the non-skip area has been skipped to the server. Finally, the method includes causing the server to transmit information corresponding to the non-skip area to the user by another transmitting means when the server has received the information that indicates that the non-skip area has been skipped.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Junichi Kurihara