Content providing method, content playback method, portable wireless terminal, and content playback apparatus

A method of playing back content data in a content playback system including a portable wireless terminal and a content playback apparatus which are capable of wirelessly communicating with each other, comprising the steps of:

• issuing a first command, via the portable wireless terminal, to play back a content whose content data for use by the portable wireless terminal is stored in the portable wireless terminal;
• transmitting a second command to play back the content from the portable wireless terminal to the content playback apparatus by wireless communication;
• and
• playing back the content on the content playback apparatus by using the content data for use by the content playback apparatus if content data of the content for use by the content playback apparatus is stored in the content playback apparatus.

A portable wireless terminal comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• content playback means for playing back a content by using content data stored in the storage unit;
• wireless communication means for transmitting a content data providing request to a content data providing server and receiving content data for use by the portable wireless terminal from the content data providing server;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with a content playback apparatus;
• and
• control means for storing the content data for use by the portable wireless terminal received by the wireless communication means in the storage unit, and, if a first command to play back the content whose content data for use by the portable wireless terminal is stored in the storage unit is issued, transmitting a second command to play back the content to the content playback apparatus connected to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• content playback means for playing back a content by using content data stored in the storage unit;
• an external network interface adapted to transmit a content data providing request to a content data providing server and receive content data for use by the content playback apparatus from the content data providing server;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an apparatus;
• and
• control means for storing the content data for use by the content playback apparatus received by the external network interface in the storage unit, and, when a command to play back the content is transmitted from a portable wireless terminal connected via the wireless interface, if content data of the specified content for use by the content playback apparatus is stored in the storage unit, then playing back the content using the content data for use by the content playback apparatus by the content playback means.

A portable wireless terminal comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• content playback means for playing back a content by using content data;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with a content playback apparatus;
• and
• control means for, if a first command to play back the content whose content data is stored in the storage unit is issued, transmitting a second command to play back the content to a content playback apparatus connected to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface, and, if a third command to play back the content is issued by the content playback apparatus or of a request for transmission of content data of the content is issued by the content playback apparatus, playing back the content using the content playback means or transmitting the content data of the content to the content playback apparatus via the wireless interface.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• content playback means for playing back a content by using content data;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an apparatus;
• and
• control means for, when a first command to play back the content is transmitted from a portable wireless terminal connected via the wireless interface, if content data of the content is stored in the storage unit, then playing back the content using the content data for use by the content playback apparatus by the content playback means, while if content data of the content is not stored in the storage unit, then transmitting a second command to play back the content to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface or transmitting a request for transmission of content data of the content to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface.

A portable wireless terminal comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• a content playback unit adapted to play back a content by using content data stored in the storage unit;
• a wireless communication unit adapted to transmit a content data providing request to a content data providing server and receive content data for use by the portable wireless terminal from the content data providing server;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an apparatus;
• and
• a control unit adapted to store the content data for use by the portable wireless terminal received by the wireless communication unit in the storage unit, and, if a first command to play back the content whose content data for use by the portable wireless terminal is stored in the storage unit is issued, transmit a second command to play back the content to a content playback apparatus connected to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• a content playback unit adapted to play back a content by using content data stored in the storage unit;
• an external network interface adapted to transmit a content data providing request to a content data providing server and receive content data for use by the content playback apparatus from the content data providing server;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an apparatus;
• and
• a control unit adapted to store the content data for use by the content playback apparatus received by the external network interface in the storage unit, and, when a command to play back the content is transmitted from a portable wireless terminal connected via the wireless interface, if content data of a specified content for use by the content playback apparatus is stored in the storage unit, then play back the specified content using the content data for use by the content playback apparatus by the content playback unit.

A portable wireless terminal comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• a content playback unit adapted to play back a content by using content data;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an apparatus;
• and
• a control unit adapted to, if a first command to play back the content whose content data is stored in the storage unit is issued, transmit a second command to play back the content to a content playback apparatus connected to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface, and, if a third command to play back the content is issued by the content playback apparatus or of a request for transmission of content data of the content is issued by the content playback apparatus, play back the content using the content playback unit or transmit the content data of the content to the content playback apparatus via the wireless interface.

A content playback apparatus comprising:

• a storage unit adapted to store content data;
• a content playback unit adapted to play back a content by using content data;
• a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an apparatus;
• and
• a control unit adapted to, when a first command to play back a content is transmitted from a portable wireless terminal connected via the wireless interface, if content data of the content is stored in the storage unit, play back the content using the content data for use by the content playback apparatus by the content playback unit, while if content data of the content is not stored in the storage unit, transmit a second command to play back the content to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface or transmitting a request for transmission of content data of the content to the portable wireless terminal via the wireless interface.