Multi-media information device network system

A computer program for managing files of a master device for multimedia information which is connected via a network to at least one slave device for multimedia information, the computer program executing a processor of the master device in a process comprising:

• generating a self directory list by retrieving the files stored in a memory of the master device;
• collecting a directory list of the slave device by at least one of retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device and receiving the directory list generated by the slave device;
• generating an integrated directory list by integrating the self directory list of the master device and the directory list collected from the slave device;
• and
• retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list.

A network system in which one or a plurality of slave devices and one master device for multimedia information are connected by a network,

• wherein the master device comprises:
• means for generating a self directory list by retrieving files stored in a memory of the master device;
• means for collecting a directory list of the slave device by at least one of retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device and receiving the directory list generated by the slave device;
• means for generating an integrated directory list by integrating the self directory list of the master device and the directory list collected from the slave device;
• means for distributing the integrated directory list to the slave device via the network;
• and
• means for retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list,
• wherein the slave device comprises:
• means for generating a self directory list by retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device;
• means for distributing the self directory list to the master device via the network;
• and
• means for retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list which is distributed via the network by the master device for multimedia information,
• wherein at least one of the slave devices and the master device each possess the integrated directory list in a synchronized form.

A method for managing a file in a network system, in which one or a plurality of slave devices and one master device for multimedia information are connected by the network,

• wherein the master device comprises:
• means for generating a self directory list by retrieving files stored in a memory of the master device;
• means for collecting a directory list of the slave device by at least one of retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device and receiving the directory list generated by the slave device;
• means for generating an integrated directory list by integrating the self directory list of the master device and the directory list collected from the slave device;
• means for distributing the integrated directory list to the slave device via the network;
• and
• means for retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list,
• wherein the slave device comprises:
• means for generating a self directory list by retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device;
• means for distributing the self directory list to the master device via the network;
• and
• means for retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list which is distributed via the network by the master device,
• wherein at least one of the slave devices and the master device each possess the integrated directory list in a synchronized form,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• when a change occurs in the directory list of the master device, updating the integrated directory list based on the change;
• when a change occurs in the directory list of one slave device, notifying the master device of the change, collecting the directory list of the slave device and updating the integrated directory list based on the collected directory list;
• and
• distributing the updated integrated directory list to at least one of the slave devices.

A computer program for managing files of a slave device for multimedia information connected via a network to a master device for multimedia information,

• wherein the master device comprising:
• means for generating a self directory list by retrieving files stored in a memory of the master device;
• means for collecting a directory list of the slave device by at least one of retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device and receiving the directory list generated by the slave device;
• means for generating an integrated directory list by integrating the self directory list of the master device and the directory list collected from the slave device;
• and
• means for retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list,
• the computer program executing a processor of the slave device in a process comprising:
• generating the self directory list by retrieving the files stored in the memory of the slave device;
• and
• distributing the self directory list to the master device via the network.

A computer program for managing files of a slave device for multimedia information connected via a network to a master device for multimedia information,

• wherein the master device comprising:
• means for generating a self directory list by retrieving files stored in a memory of the master device;
• means for collecting a directory list of the slave device by at least one of retrieving files stored in a memory of the slave device and receiving the directory list generated by the slave device;
• means for generating an integrated directory list by integrating the self directory list of the master device and the directory list collected from the slave device;
• means for retrieving and displaying the integrated directory list;
• and
• means for distributing the integrated directory list to the slave device via the network;
• the computer program executing a processor of the slave device in a process comprising:
• generating the self directory list by retrieving the files stored in the memory of the slave device;
• and
• distributing the self directory list to the master device via the network.