Content playback system, content playback apparatus, and content playback method

A content playback system comprising:

• a plurality of content playback apparatuses that plays back content;
• and
• a portable terminal that is capable of communicating with each of the plurality of content playback apparatuses at least in accordance with a short-distance communication method,
• wherein each of the plurality of content playback apparatuses includes
• playback means for playing back the content,
• detecting means for detecting the portable terminal in accordance with the short-distance communication method,
• storing means for receiving from the portable terminal detected by the detecting means terminal identification information for identifying the portable terminal and for storing, in association with the received terminal identification information, playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying content whose playback is interrupted when playback of the content by the playback means is interrupted,
• transmission request means for multicasting the terminal identification information to other content playback apparatuses and for requesting transmission of playback interruption information corresponding to the terminal identification information when the terminal identification information of the portable terminal and a playback request for the content are received from the portable terminal detected by the detecting means,
• playback interruption information transmitting means for reading the playback interruption information corresponding to the received terminal identification information from the storing means and for transmitting the read playback interruption information when a transmission request for the playback interruption information is received from another content playback apparatus, and
• playback control means for acquiring the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information and for causing the playback means to play back the acquired content when the playback interruption information transmitted in response to the transmission request by the transmission request means is received, and
• wherein the portable terminal includes
• terminal identification information transmitting means for transmitting the terminal identification information of the portable terminal to a first content playback apparatus that detects the portable terminal by the detecting means, and
• playback request means for transmitting the terminal identification information of the portable terminal to a second content playback apparatus and for requesting the second content playback apparatus to play back the corresponding content when the portable terminal is detected by the detecting means of the second content playback apparatus after the terminal identification information transmitting means transmits the terminal identification information.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• playback means for playing back content provided from a content server;
• detecting means for detecting a portable terminal in accordance with a short-distance communication method;
• transmitting means for transmitting to the portable terminal detected by the detecting means playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying the content when playback of the content by the playback means is interrupted;
• and
• provision request means for receiving the playback interruption information from the portable terminal detected by the detecting means and for requesting the content server to provide the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• playback means for playing back content;
• detecting means for detecting a portable terminal in accordance with a short-distance communication method;
• storing means for receiving from the portable terminal detected by the detecting means terminal identification information for identifying the portable terminal and for storing, in association with the received terminal identification information, playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying content whose playback is interrupted when playback of the content by the playback means is interrupted;
• transmission request means for multicasting the terminal identification information to other content playback apparatuses and for requesting transmission of playback interruption information corresponding to the terminal identification information when the terminal identification information of the portable terminal and a playback request for the content are received from the portable terminal detected by the detecting means;
• playback interruption information transmitting means for reading the playback interruption information corresponding to the received terminal identification information from the storing means and for transmitting the read playback interruption information when a transmission request for the playback interruption information is received from another content playback apparatus;
• and
• playback control means for acquiring the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information and for causing the playback means to play back the acquired content when the playback interruption information transmitted in response to the transmission request by the transmission request means is received.

A content playback method in a system including a content server and a plurality of content playback apparatuses that plays back the content provided from the content server, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting, by a first content playback apparatus, a portable terminal in accordance with a short-distance communication method;
• interrupting, by the first content playback apparatus, playback of the content;
• transmitting, by the first content playback apparatus, to the detected portable terminal playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying the content whose playback is interrupted;
• storing, by the portable terminal, the playback interruption information;
• detecting, by a second content playback apparatus, the portable terminal in accordance with the short-distance communication method;
• requesting, by the portable terminal, the second content playback apparatus to play back the corresponding content by transmitting the playback interruption information to the second content playback apparatus that detects the portable terminal;
• and
• requesting, by the second content playback apparatus, the content server to provide the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information received from the detected portable terminal.

A content playback method in a system in which a plurality of content playback apparatuses that plays back content is connected to each other via a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting, by a first content playback apparatus, a portable terminal in accordance with a short-distance communication method;
• transmitting, by the portable terminal, terminal identification information for identifying the portable terminal to the first content playback apparatus;
• interrupting, by the first content playback apparatus, playback of the content and storing, in association with the terminal identification information received from the portable terminal, playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying the content;
• detecting, by a second content playback apparatus, the portable terminal in accordance with the short-distance communication method;
• requesting, by the portable terminal, the second content playback apparatus to play back the corresponding content by transmitting the terminal identification information of the portable terminal to the second content playback apparatus;
• requesting, by the second content playback apparatus, transmission of playback interruption information corresponding to the terminal identification information by multicasting the terminal identification information to other content playback apparatuses connected on the network when the terminal identification information and a playback request for the content are received from the portable terminal;
• transmitting, by the first content playback apparatus, the playback interruption information corresponding to the received terminal identification information in response to a transmission request for the playback interruption information;
• and
• acquiring and playing back, by the second content playback apparatus, the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information by receiving the playback interruption information transmitted in response to the transmission request.

A content playback system comprising:

• a content server that provides content;
• a plurality of content playback apparatuses that plays back the content provided from the content server;
• and
• a portable terminal that is capable of communicating with each of the plurality of content playback apparatuses at least in accordance with a short-distance communication method,
• wherein each of the plurality of content playback apparatuses includes
• a playback unit that plays back the content provided from the content server,
• a detection unit that detects the portable terminal in accordance with the short-distance communication method,
• a transmission unit that transmits to the portable terminal detected by the detection unit playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying the content when playback of the content by the playback unit is interrupted, and
• a provision request unit that receives the playback interruption information from the portable terminal detected by the detection unit and that requests the content server to provide the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information, and
• wherein the portable terminal includes
• a storing unit that receives and stores the playback interruption information from a first content playback apparatus that detects the portable terminal by the detection unit, and
• a playback request unit that transmits the playback interruption information stored in the storing unit to a second content playback apparatus that detects the portable terminal by the detection unit after the portable terminal receives the playback interruption information and that requests the second content playback apparatus to play back the corresponding content.

A content playback system comprising:

• a plurality of content playback apparatuses that plays back content;
• and
• a portable terminal that is capable of communicating with each of the plurality of content playback apparatuses at least in accordance with a short-distance communication method,
• wherein each of the plurality of content playback apparatuses includes
• a playback unit that plays back the content,
• a detection unit that detects the portable terminal in accordance with the short-distance communication method,
• a storing unit that receives from the portable terminal detected by the detection unit terminal identification information for identifying the portable terminal and that stores, in association with the received terminal identification information, playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying content whose playback is interrupted when playback of the content by the playback unit is interrupted,
• a transmission request unit that multicasts the terminal identification information to other content playback apparatuses and that requests transmission of playback interruption information corresponding to the terminal identification information when the terminal identification information of the portable terminal and a playback request for the content are received from the portable terminal detected by the detection unit,
• a playback interruption information transmission unit that reads the playback interruption information corresponding to the received terminal identification information from the storing unit and that transmits the read playback interruption information when a transmission request for the playback interruption information is received from another content playback apparatus, and
• a playback controller that acquires the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information and that causes the playback unit to play back the acquired content when the playback interruption information transmitted in response to the transmission request by the transmission request unit is received, and
• wherein the portable terminal includes
• a terminal identification information transmission unit that transmits the terminal identification information of the portable terminal to a first content playback apparatus that detects the portable terminal by the detection unit, and
• a playback request unit that transmits the terminal identification information of the portable terminal to a second content playback apparatus and that requests the second content playback apparatus to play back the corresponding content when the portable terminal is detected by the detection unit of the second content playback apparatus after the terminal identification information transmission unit transmits the terminal identification information.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• a playback unit that plays back content provided from a content server;
• a detection unit that detects a portable terminal in accordance with a short-distance communication method;
• a transmission unit that transmits to the portable terminal detected by the detection unit playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying the content when playback of the content by the playback unit is interrupted;
• and
• a provision request unit that receives the playback interruption information from the portable terminal detected by the detection unit and that requests the content server to provide the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• a playback unit that plays back content;
• a detection unit that detects a portable terminal in accordance with a short-distance communication method;
• a storing unit that receives from the portable terminal detected by the detection unit terminal identification information for identifying the portable terminal and that stores, in association with the received terminal identification information, playback interruption information including content identification information for identifying content whose playback is interrupted when playback of the content by the playback unit is interrupted;
• a transmission request unit that multicasts the terminal identification information to other content playback apparatuses and that requests transmission of playback interruption information corresponding to the terminal identification information when the terminal identification information of the portable terminal and a playback request for the content are received from the portable terminal detected by the detection unit;
• a playback interruption information transmission unit that reads the playback interruption information corresponding to the received terminal identification information from the storing unit and that transmits the read playback interruption information when a transmission request for the playback interruption information is received from another content playback apparatus;
• and
• a playback controller that acquires the corresponding content in accordance with the playback interruption information and that causes the playback unit to play back the acquired content when the playback interruption information transmitted in response to the transmission request by the transmission request unit is received.