Sound/moving picture reproduction system

A sound/moving picture reproduction system, comprising:

• a main data transferring device including a sound/moving picture data storing portion storing sound/moving picture data;
• a plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices connected to the main data transferring device, each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices including a copied data storing portion storing copied data of the received sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a plurality of data reproducing devices connected to at least a part of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices, each of the plurality of data reproducing devices reproducing received sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device further includes a control portion for reading sound/moving picture data from the sound/moving picture data storing portion and for transferring the read sound/moving picture data to either one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices further includes a transfer control portion for, upon receipt of sound/moving picture data, copying the received sound/moving picture data into the copied data storing portion and for transferring the copied sound/moving picture data in a direction toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of data reproducing devices further includes a sound/moving picture data request portion for requesting the main data transferring device to transfer desired sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device includes a copied data output instruction portion judging whether the requested sound/moving picture data has already been copied in one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices and instructing, when it is judged that one auxiliary data transferring device has already copied the requested sound/moving picture data, the one auxiliary data transferring device to output the copied sound/moving picture data toward the data reproducing device that has requested;
• and
• wherein all the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices are arranged in more than one stages so that the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices include a first stage of auxiliary data transferring devices that are directly connected in parallel to the main data transferring device and at least one subsequent stage of auxiliary data transferring devices that are connected to the first stage of auxiliary data transferring devices, the at least one subsequent stage of auxiliary data transferring devices including a final stage of auxiliary data transferring devices that are connected in parallel to the plurality of data reproducing devices.

A sound/moving picture reproduction system, comprising:

• a main data transferring device including a sound/moving picture data storing portion storing sound/moving picture data;
• a plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices connected to the main data transferring device, each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices including a copied data storing portion storing copied data of the received sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a plurality of data reproducing devices connected to at least a part of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices, each of the plurality of data reproducing devices reproducing received sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device further includes a control portion for reading sound/moving picture data from the sound/moving picture data storing portion and for transferring the read sound/moving picture data to either one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices further includes a transfer control portion for, upon receipt of sound/moving picture data, copying the received sound/moving picture data into the copied data storing portion and for transferring the copied sound/moving picture data in a direction toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of data reproducing devices further includes a sound/moving picture data request portion for requesting the main data transferring device to transfer desired sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device includes a copied data output instruction portion fudging whether the requested sound/moving picture data has already been copied in one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices and instructing, when it is judged that one auxiliary data transferring device has already copied the requested sound/moving picture data, the one auxiliary data transferring device to output the copied sound/moving picture data toward the data reproducing device that has requested;
• and
• wherein the transfer control portion includes a data writing/reading control portion to perform the copying operation and the transferring operation simultaneously with each other.

A sound/moving picture reproduction system, comprising:

• a main data transferring device including a sound/moving picture data storing portion storing sound/moving picture data;
• a plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices connected to the main data transferring device, each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices including a copied data storing portion storing copied data of the received sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a plurality of data reproducing devices connected to at least a part of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices, each of the plurality of data reproducing devices reproducing received sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device further includes a control portion for reading sound/moving picture data from the sound/moving picture data storing portion and for transferring the read sound/moving picture data to either one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices further includes a transfer control portion for, upon receipt of sound/moving picture data, copying the received sound/moving picture data into the copied data storing portion and for transferring the copied sound/moving picture data in a direction toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of data reproducing devices further includes a sound/moving picture data request portion for requesting the main data transferring device to transfer desired sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device includes a copied data output instruction portion judging whether the requested sound/moving picture data has already been copied in one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices and instructing, when it is judged that one auxiliary data transferring device has already copied the requested sound/moving picture data, the one auxiliary data transferring device to output the copied sound/moving picture data toward the data reproducing device that has requested;
• and
• wherein the main data transferring device includes:
• a transfer path data production portion producing transfer path specifying data for specifying a transfer path, along which data is to be transferred toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices that has requested the main data transferring device to transfer sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a data output portion retrieving the requested sound/moving picture data from the sound/moving picture data storing portion, and adding the retrieved sound/moving picture data with the transfer path specifying data before outputting the retrieved sound/moving picture data to the transfer path determined by the transfer path specifying data.

A sound/moving picture reproduction system, comprising:

• a main data transferring device including a sound/moving picture data storing portion storing sound/moving picture data;
• a plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices connected to the main data transferring device, each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices including a copied data storing portion storing copied data of the received sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a plurality of data reproducing devices connected to at least a part of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices, each of the plurality of data reproducing devices reproducing received sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device further includes a control portion for reading sound/moving picture data from the sound/moving picture data storing portion and for transferring the read sound/moving picture data to either one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices further includes a transfer control portion for, upon receipt of sound/moving picture data, copying the received sound/moving picture data into the copied data storing portion and for transferring the copied sound/moving picture data in a direction toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of data reproducing devices further includes a sound/moving picture data request portion for requesting the main data transferring device to transfer desired sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device includes a copied data output instruction portion judging whether the requested sound/moving picture data has already been copied in one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices and instructing, when it is judged that one auxiliary data transferring device has already copied the requested sound/moving picture data, the one auxiliary data transferring device to output the copied sound/moving picture data toward the data reproducing device that has requested;
• and
• wherein the main data transferring device includes:
• a transfer path setting portion setting a transfer path, along which data is to be transferred toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices that has requested the main data transferring device to transfer sound/moving picture data, at least one auxiliary data transferring device being located on the transfer path to receive the transferred sound/moving picture data and to transfer the received sound/moving picture data toward the data reproducing device that has requested;
• a destination informing portion informing each of the at least one auxiliary data transferring device, located on the set transfer path, of a next transfer destination, to which the subject auxiliary data transferring device is to transfer sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a data output portion outputting the requested sound/moving picture data to one of the at least one auxiliary storage devices that is located on the set transfer path and that is connected directly to the main data transferring device, the data output portion performing its outputting operation after the destination informing portion performs its informing operation.

A sound/moving picture reproduction system comprising:

• a main data transferring device including a sound/moving picture data storing portion storing sound/moving picture data;
• a plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices connected to the main data transferring device, each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices including a copied data storing portion storing copied data of the received sound/moving picture data;
• and
• a plurality of data reproducing devices connected to at least a part of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices, each of the plurality of data reproducing devices reproducing received sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device further includes a control portion for reading sound/moving picture data from the sound/moving picture data storing portion and for transferring the read sound/moving picture data to either one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices further includes a transfer control portion for, upon receipt of sound/moving picture data, copying the received sound/moving picture data into the copied data storing portion and for transferring the copied sound/moving picture data in a direction toward one of the plurality of data reproducing devices;
• wherein each of the plurality of data reproducing devices further includes a sound/moving picture data request portion for requesting the main data transferring device to transfer desired sound/moving picture data;
• wherein the main data transferring device includes a copied data output instruction portion judging whether the requested sound/moving picture data has already been copied in one of the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices and instructing, when it is judged that one auxiliary data transferring device has already copied the requested sound/moving picture data, the one auxiliary data transferring device to output the copied sound/moving picture data toward the data reproducing device that has requested;
• wherein the plurality of auxiliary data transferring devices includes several auxiliary data transferring devices, each of which is provided with at least one output path,
• wherein the plurality of data reproducing devices are capable of being connected to the output paths from the several auxiliary data transferring devices to receive sound/moving picture data, each of the plurality of data reproducing devices reproducing the received sound/moving picture data,
• further comprising:
• a switch mechanism portion capable of selectively connecting the output paths from the several auxiliary data transferring devices to the data reproducing devices, the switch mechanism portion including:
• a plurality of switches capable of connecting and disconnecting the output paths from the several auxiliary data transferring devices to and from the plurality of data reproducing devices;
• and
• a switch control portion controlling the plurality of switches to selectively connect and disconnect the output paths from the several auxiliary data transferring devices to and from the plurality of data reproducing devices,
• wherein the main data transferring device includes:
• a transfer path determining portion that requests, in response to the request from one data reproducing device, the switch control portion to supply the transfer path determining portion with information on a non-occupied output path, and that determines one transfer path, along which the desired data is to be transferred from the main data transferring device toward the non-occupied output path, at least one auxiliary data transferring device being located on the determined transfer path, the transfer path determining portion controlling the at least one auxiliary data transferring device on the determined transfer path to transfer the desired data along the transfer path;
• and
• a switch instruction portion that instructs the switch control portion to control one of the plurality of switches to connect the non-occupied output path with the data reproducing device that has requested the main data transferring device to transfer the desired sound/moving picture data.