Sony Corporation

Susumu Ijichi

Satoshi Araki

Ryo Mukaiyama

Takaomi Kimura

Koichi Sato

Koji Kobayashi

Akihiko Nakatani

Hiroyuki Masuda

Ryoko Amano

Makoto Tabuchi

Teruyuki Shitara

Mari Sugiura

Ryuji Takenouchi

Kaori Kashimoto

Hajime Yoshimasu

Kayoko Yamasaki

A content reproduction apparatus includes a communication unit that communicates with a content-providing apparatus. The content reproduction apparatus also includes a reproducing unit that reproduces content data. Further, the content reproduction apparatus includes a controller that transmits a request to the content-providing apparatus. The request indicates whether a data streaming reproduction service is available. The controller receives and reproduces a first one of an order of content data which is ordered by the content-providing apparatus based on the request. The controller also receives, after a determination that a second one of the order of content data exists, an attribute of the second one of the order of content data.

Content reproduction system, content providing method, content reproduction apparatus, content providing apparatus, content reproduction program and content providing program

Disclosed herein is a reproduction apparatus for reproducing audio data. The apparatus includes: an analysis section configured to start an analysis of characteristics of audio data recorded on a recording medium as audio data having its characteristic unanalyzed yet upon detection of a predetermined state of a light processing load borne by the reproduction apparatus. The apparatus further includes a registration section configured to register audio data having its characteristic already analyzed on a specific play list prescribing an order of reproduction of audio data on the basis of the characteristics of the audio data; and a reproduction section configured to reproduce audio data from the recording medium in accordance with the specific play list.

Reproduction apparatus, reproduction method and reproduction program

The present invention provides a music purchasing/transfer system allowing contents to be acquired in a remarkably efficient manner. In the system, a content acquisition apparatus, and method and program thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a content storage section used for storing contents; an output section for outputting the identification of every content that can be presented by a Content providing apparatus for presenting contents; and a content acquisition section for acquiring a content, which is identified by a content identification selected by carrying out an operation to select one of identifications output by the output section, from the content providing apparatus, wherein the output section outputs identifications of contents not stored yet in the content storage section as identifications different from other identifications output as identifications of other contents already stored in the content storage section.

Content acquisition apparatus, content acquisition method and content acquisition program

Disclosed herein is a reproducing apparatus for continuously reading and reproducing a plurality of content data items from a content data storage unit which stores the plurality of content data items and a plurality of specific position information items representative of specific positions each corresponding to a specific portion of each of the content data items. The reproducing apparatus includes: an input unit; a reproduction unit; and a control unit.

Reproducing apparatus, recording medium, reproducing method, and reproducing program

The present invention provides a reproducing apparatus for reproducing a plurality of pieces of content data stored in a content data storage unit according to a play list defining reproduction order of the content data. The apparatus includes a play list storage unit, a request information generating unit, and a play list reconstructing unit. The play list storage unit stores the play list having a play list generating rule and identifying information for identifying the content data matching the play list generating rule. The request information generating unit generates reconstruction requesting information for requesting reconstruction of the play list. The play list reconstructing unit reconstructs at least a part of the play list stored in the play list storage unit into a play list having the play list generating rule corresponding to an apparatus use condition in response to the reconstruction requesting information generated by the request information generating unit.

Reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, and reproducing program

In order to reproduce contents with a substantially high degree of efficiency, the present invention provides a content reproduction system in which, typically, a music providing server holds a reproduction list showing a music reproduction order in which pieces of streaming musical data are to be reproduced sequentially and sequentially provides the pieces of streaming musical data to a music reproduction terminal in accordance with the music reproduction order shown in the reproduction list held therein, whereas the music reproduction terminal sequentially reproduces the pieces of streaming musical data provided by the music providing server sequentially.

Disclosed herein is a reproducing apparatus including, a content storage block configured to store content and attribute information thereof by relating with each other, an input block configured to enter a command, a reproducing block configured to reproduce content, and a control block configured to control the reproducing block such that, when a content switching command is entered from the input block during reproduction of a first piece of content by the reproducing block, the first piece of content is switched to another piece of content that belongs to related list information to which at least one piece of content related with the first piece of content belongs, the another piece of content having been generated on the basis of attribute information of the first piece of content, and then the another piece of content is reproduced.

A display control apparatus is provided for controlling displaying of a play list specifying a reproduction sequence of a plurality of pieces of content. The display control apparatus has a play list feature extraction block configured to extract a feature of a play list on the basis of a plurality of content belonging to the play list, a display pattern selection block configured to select a display pattern for displaying the play list on the basis of the feature of the play list, the feature being extracted by the feature extraction block, and a control block configured to execute control such that the play list is displayed on a display block on the basis of the display pattern selected by the display pattern selection block. The novel configuration provides new ways of enjoying content.

Display control apparatus, recording media, display control method, and display control program

An information processing apparatus is provided including a first display control unit for controlling display of an area to which to paste an image representing a content and selected to start reproduction of the content. A second display control unit displays a list of images when a display instruction to display the list of the images is given. Under control of the first display control unit, one screen including a different number of layers according to a category of data created in the area to which to paste the image is displayed in the area.

Information processing apparatus and method, and program

The present invention provides a music purchasing/transfer system allowing contents to be acquired in a remarkably efficient manner. In the system, a content acquisition apparatus, and method and program thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a content storage section used for storing contents; an output section for outputting the identification of every content that can be presented by a content providing apparatus for presenting contents; and a content acquisition section for acquiring a content, which is identified by a content identification selected by carrying out an operation to select one of identifications output by the output section, from the content providing apparatus, wherein the output section outputs identifications of contents not stored yet in the content storage section as identifications different from other identifications output as identifications of other contents already stored in the content storage section.

A method and apparatus for reproducing a plurality of main data recorded on an insertable recording medium in the desired sequence specified as a playlist by the user. Main data is recorded on a record region of the recording medium and the user can select a playlist that is recorded in a management region of the recording medium.

Method for editing a playlist to read main data in a desired reproduction sequence

When a stopping instruction is given while a data file recorded in a recording medium is being played back, the position of the recording medium at which the stopping instruction was given is recorded so that a playback is started from the recorded position during a resume playback. Also, in a case where a data file is recorded in a recording medium, the recording position of a predetermined recorded data file is stored so that a playback is started from the predetermined position of the predetermined recorded data file during a playback.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Susumu Ijichi