Sony Corporation

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Asahi Corporation

Shin Iima

Hideki Ito

Shuji Sato

Kenichi Fukahori

Masaki Shimoha

Mutsuko Narita

Kazuyuki Yamamoto

Yasuji Yui

Tomohiro Maekawa

Hitoshi Kamoda

Takashi Bunya

Makoto Saito

Hirotoshi Maegawa

David Gaxiola

Vivek Chopra

Tomomi Nakamura

Yutaka Nakatsu

Kayoko Ohyoshi

James E Marr

Stephen Cain Detwiler

Nicholas Szeto

Hirofumi Kanemaki

Ryuzoh Maruyama

Systems and methods for mediation of online trading services are provided. Supplemental content related to a content title may be listed in a market or store for content. A client device sends a mediated communication to a trading server; the mediated communication may include mediation data and a request concerning the transfer of supplemental content. A user account associated with the client device is identified and the supplemental content may then be assigned to the user account. A report regarding activity associated with the assignment of the supplemental content may be generated in accordance with mediation data.

Management of online trading services using mediated communications

A portable server has an antenna and radio communicating portion having a receivable distance of several m to several tens of m and an authentication antenna and authentication radio communicating portion having a receivable distance of several mm to several cm, which is extremely shorter than the receivable distance of the radio communicating portion. When an authentication button is operated by a user and when another apparatus is arranged within a range of the receivable distance of the authentication radio communicating portion, the authentication radio communicating portion performs authentication processing with the other apparatus through the authentication antenna and registers authentication data resulting from the authentication with a memory. The radio communicating portion connects to the authenticated other apparatus through an antenna based on the authentication data and performs data communication. The invention is applicable to a radio communication system including a mobile terminal.

Communication system, information processing apparatus, information processing method, recording medium and program

A communication apparatus, a communication system, and a method of same enabling control of a mode of output of additional information such as advertisements on a user side. A program signal and an additional signal are separated from a broadcast signal received by a receiver by a filter. The program signal is stored in a program signal use memory, while the additional signal is stored in an additional signal use memory. When there is an instruction by the user for output of the additional information, a display signal is generated by using the program signal and the additional signal read from the memories, while only the program signal is read from the memory for generation of the display signal in other cases.

Communication apparatus, communication system, and method of same

Systems and methods for mediation of content-related services are provided. A client device playing content may send a request for a service related to the content. Configuration information is generated for the client device, reflecting a set of permissions that are determined based on a market segment of the client device. Once the client device is configured according to the set of permissions, the client device can communicate with a service provider of the requested service. Such communication and any further activity regarding the service is governed by the set of permissions, as is reporting regarding such communication and activity

Mediation of content-related services

This invention relates to a transmission apparatus for transmitting digital content data via a communication medium, comprising attachment means for attaching cost information per unit data volume to the digital content data; and transmission means for transmitting the digital content data attached with the cost information after converting a data format of the digital content data attached with the cost information into a data format suitable to the communication medium.

Transmission apparatus and method, reception apparatus and method, management apparatus and method, charging apparatus and method, providing apparatus and method, and recording medium

A reception intensity measuring unit measures a reception intensity of a radio wave received by a radio reception unit under control of a connection control unit. When it is judged that the reception intensity of the received radio wave is larger than a reception intensity set in advance, the reception intensity measuring unit controls a transmission intensity changing unit to lower a transmission intensity of a radio wave to be transmitted from a radio transmission unit. When the transmission intensity of the radio wave to be transmitted from the radio transmission unit is lowered by the transmission intensity changing unit, an authentication processing unit executes authentication processing with another apparatus via the radio reception unit and the radio transmission unit and controls an authentication data registering unit to register authentication data, which is obtained as a result of the authentication processing, in a memory.

Communication system and associated method of performing mutual authentication

A video printer () comprises a video printer housing portion (), and a video camera station () disposed on a rear upper portion of the video printer housing portion () and having a signal input and output connection terminal (). A video camera () with a liquid-crystal display monitor () is electrically connected to the connection terminal (), and attached to the video printer () at its video camera station () so that, when the video printer () is in use, a user can operate the video camera () and the video printer () by operating systems (), () disposed on the video printer () while visually confirming a picture displayed on a picture screen of the liquid-crystal display monitor ().

Apparatus having means for printing video signals of video camera attached thereto

A video printer () comprises a video printer housing portion (), and a video camera station () disposed on a rear upper portion of the video printer housing portion () and having a signal input and output connection terminal (). A video camera () with a liquid-crystal display monitor () is electrically connected to the connection terminal (), and attached to the video printer () at its video camera station () so that, when the video printer () is in use, a user can operate the video camera () and the video printer () by operating operation systems (), () disposed on the video printer () while visually confirming a picture displayed on a picture screen of the liquid-crystal display monitor ().

A system that judges which of a number of parties initiates an action to transfer digital data of a content through a network. If the action has been initiated by the party on the reception side, a judgment as to whether the magnitude appended to the digital data of the content is positive or negative. If the magnitude is positive, the party on the reception side is requested to settle accounting for the digital data of the content. If the magnitude is negative, the party on the transmission side settles accounting for the digital data of the content. As a result, it is possible to arbitrarily determine whether a party on the transmission or reception side should bear the cost of a content.

Information-processing apparatus, information-processing method, accounting-processing apparatus, accounting-processing method and recording medium

A handle apparatus includes a spring member formed of a wire rod is bent in an approximately U-shape. Both tip end portions of the spring member formed in the approximately U-shape are bent approximately at a right angle and are shaft portions for rotating the approximately U-shaped portions. Both the shaft portions are set such that the axial lines of the shaft portions are not in conformity with each other. Both the shaft portions are made to be members for generating a biasing force in accordance with rotating positions. The spring member 3 is used as a member for generating the biasing force for performing a pop-up operation. A base member 4 and a handle grip member 2 are connected to each other through a pair of spring members 3. The handle grip member is held on a side of the base member against the biasing of the spring members by a lock mechanism 50 arranged on the base member side. The handle grip member 2 is popped up by the biasing force of the spring members 3 by releasing a lock of the locking mechanism.

Handle apparatus

A color video printer can identify the length of a print sheet inserted therein for ejecting any print sheets other than a standard print sheet. The printer has a sheet feed sensor and another sensor disposed downstream of the sheet feed sensor with respect to the direction in which a print sheet is fed in the printer. After the leading end of an inserted print sheet is detected by the sheet feed sensor, the print sheet is fed until the leading end thereof is detected by the other downstream sensor. At this time, the length of the print sheet which is fed is equal to the distance, typically of 128 mm, between the sensors. The true length of the print sheet is calculated by adding, to 128 mm, the length of the print sheet which is further fed until the trailing end of the print sheet is detected by the sheet feed sensor.

Printer

A video printing apparatus and method in which, without interlocking the movement of the printing head with the capstan for carrying the printing paper and the paper feeding mechanism by a cam and linkage mechanism, they are respectively operated by three independent motors. The printer includes a first normally and reversely rotatable DC motor for searching the head of the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette housed in the printer and for taking up the ink ribbon by the take-up reel base during the printing operation. A second normally and reversely rotatable stepping motor is provided for carrying the printing paper housed in the tray by the capstan and the pinch roller to the printing position and the paper delivering position. A third normally and reversely rotatable DC motor is provided for moving the printing head which subjects the printing paper to the printing processing by pressing the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette thereon in cooperation with the platen. A control mechanism for locking the tray in position, pressing the printing paper in the tray into engagement with a first feeding roller and moving the pinch roller into engagement with the capstan includes a plurality of cams disposed on a common axis which are driven by the first motor.

Apparatus and method for video printing

A printer in which an ink ribbon is not wound when a ribbon code ring is read, a dedicated motor for rotating the ribbon code ring is not required, and it is possible to rotate the ribbon code ring with the same motor used for moving a printing head. When an information code of an ink ribbon is to be read, a print head is held in an initial position HO, and a pendulum gear, which can be rotated only when a cam is reversed, is brought into mesh with a ink ribbon code ring which rotates irrespective of a supply spool of a ribbon cassette. The information code on the ribbon code ring is detected by a sensor as the code ring is rotated. A locking system is provided for preventing accidental opening of a ribbon door of the printer during printing operations.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Shin Iima