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US 7,690,014 B2Granted
Information processing apparatus
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsKatsutoshi Sakao, Nobutaka Tani, Satoru Maeda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An information processing apparatus with improved operatability in which the user is capable of watching a television program and connecting to the Internet. An index panel shows channel buttons operated to select a desired program, a first site button provides access to site A available on the Internet and a second site button provides access to site B on the Internet. The user is able to watch a television program and can have access to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, which can be connected to the Internet.
Claims14
An information processing apparatus capable of processing contents available on a network and processing television broadcast waves, said information processing apparatus comprising:
- selecting and acquiring means for selecting and acquiring operation button information for displaying a first operation button to make a direct access to a specific one of said contents from a list of pieces of operation button information provided by an information providing apparatus connected to said information processing apparatus by said network;
- and
- display processing means for displaying said first operation button on the basis of said operation button information acquired by said acquisition means and displaying a second operation button to display a predetermined television program conveyed by any one of said television broadcast waves,
- wherein, upon selecting and acquiring operation button information, a selected first operation button is displayed with a picture of an associated content,
- wherein the selecting and acquiring means allows a user to acquire different sets of operation button information each time the user acquires operation button information,
- wherein the information providing apparatus requires a registration of a user of the information processing apparatus before the information processing apparatus acquires the operation button information, and the information providing apparatus stores an access record of the user,
- wherein upon an accessing of a content, the information processing apparatus sends an address of the first operation button to the information providing apparatus that acquires the content from another information providing apparatus according to the address and transmits the acquired content to the information processing apparatus,
- wherein the information providing apparatus provides to the user a streaming content button connecting to a list of favorite streaming contents complied by the information providing apparatus based on user information stored in a user information storage unit, and
- wherein said first and second operation buttons are displayed on the same screen.
6 more elements
An information processing method to be adopted by an information processing apparatus capable of processing contents made available on a network and processing television broadcast waves, said information processing method comprising:
- a registration step of registering a user of the information processing apparatus with the information providing apparatus;
- a record storage step of storing an access record of the user;
- a selecting and acquiring step of selecting and acquiring operation button information required for displaying a first operation button to make a direct access to a specific one of said contents from a list of pieces of operation button information provided by an information providing apparatus connected to said information processing apparatus by said network;
- a display processing step of displaying said first operation button on the basis of said operation button information acquired in processing carried out at said acquisition step and displaying a second operation button to display a predetermined television program conveyed by any one of said television broadcast waves;
- and
- displaying said first and second operation buttons on the same screen,
- wherein upon an accessing of a content, the information processing apparatus sends an address of the first operation button to the information providing apparatus that acquires the content from another information providing apparatus according to the address and transmits the acquired content to the information processing apparatus,
- wherein the information providing apparatus provides to the user a streaming content button connecting to a list of favorite streaming contents complied by the information providing apparatus based on user information stored in a user information storage unit,
- wherein, upon selecting and acquiring operation button information, a selected first operation button is displayed with a picture of an associated content, and
- wherein the selecting and acquiring step allows a user to acquire different sets of operation button information each time the user acquires operation button information.
7 more elements
A recording medium for storing a computer-readable program to be executed by a computer for controlling an information processing apparatus capable of processing contents available on a network and processing television broadcast waves wherein said computer-readable program comprises:
- a registration step of registering a user of the information processing apparatus with the information providing apparatus;
- a record storage step of storing an access record of the user;
- a selecting and acquiring step of selecting and acquiring operation button information required for displaying a first operation button to make a direct access to a specific one of said contents from a list of pieces of operation button information provided by an information providing apparatus connected to said information processing apparatus by said network;
- a display processing step of displaying said first operation button on the basis of said operation button information acquired in processing carried out at said acquisition step and displaying a second operation button to display a predetermined television program conveyed by any one of said television broadcast waves;
- and
- displaying said first and second operation buttons on the same screen,
- wherein upon accessing of a content, the information processing apparatus sends an address of the first operation button to the information providing apparatus that acquires the content from another information providing apparatus according to the address and transmits the acquired content to the information processing apparatus,
- wherein the information providing apparatus provides to the user a streaming content button connecting to a list of favorite streaming contents complied by the information providing apparatus based on user information stored in a user information storage unit,
- wherein, upon selecting and acquiring operation button information, a selected first operation button is displayed with a picture of an associated content, and
- wherein the selecting and acquiring step allows a user to acquire different sets of operation button information each time the user acquires operation button information.
7 more elements
An information providing apparatus connected by a network to an information processing apparatus capable of processing contents available on said network and processing television broadcast waves and connected by said network to a content management apparatus for managing said contents, said information providing apparatus comprising:
- storage means for storing operation button information received from said content management apparatus by said network as information required for displaying an operation button on said information processing apparatus to make a direct access to one of said contents from said information processing apparatus;
- and
- providing means for providing a list of pieces of operation button information stored in said storage means to be selected by said information processing apparatus and providing predetermined operation button information selected from said list to said information processing apparatus,
- wherein, upon selecting and acquiring operation button information, a operation button is displayed with a picture of an associated content,
- wherein the providing means allows a user to acquire different sets of operation button information each time the user acquires operation button information,
- wherein upon an accessing of a content, the information processing apparatus sends an address of the first operation button to the information providing apparatus that acquires the content from another information providing apparatus according to the address and transmits the acquired content to the information processing apparatus,
- wherein the information providing apparatus requires a registration of a user of the information processing apparatus before the information processing apparatus acquires the operation button information, and the information providing apparatus stores an access record of the user, and
- wherein the information providing apparatus provides to the user a streaming content button connecting to a list of favorite streaming contents complied by the information providing apparatus based on user information stored in a user information storage unit.
5 more elements
An information providing method to be adopted by an information providing apparatus connected by a network to an information processing apparatus capable of processing contents available on said network and processing television broadcast waves and connected by said network to a content management apparatus for managing said contents, said information providing method comprising:
- a registration step of registering a user of the information processing apparatus with the information providing apparatus;
- a record storage step of storing an access record of the user;
- a storage step of storing operation button information received from said content management apparatus said network as information required for displaying an operation button on said information processing apparatus to make a direct access to one of said contents from said information processing apparatus;
- and
- a providing step of providing a list of pieces of operation button information stored in processing carried out at said storage step to be selected by said information processing apparatus and providing predetermined operation button information selected from said list to said information processing apparatus,
- wherein upon an accessing of a content, the information processing apparatus sends an address of the first operation button to the information providing apparatus that acquires the content from another information providing apparatus according to the address and transmits the acquired content to the information processing apparatus,
- wherein the information providing apparatus provides to the user a streaming content button connecting to a list of favorite streaming contents complied by the information providing apparatus based on user information stored in a user information storage unit,
- wherein, upon selecting and acquiring operation button information, a operation button is displayed with a picture of an associated content, and
- wherein the providing step allows a user to acquire different sets of operation button information each time the user acquires operation button information.
6 more elements
A recording medium for storing a computer-readable program to be executed by a computer for controlling an information providing apparatus connected by a network to an information processing apparatus capable of processing contents available on said network and processing television broadcast waves and connected by said network to a content management apparatus for managing said contents wherein said computer-readable program comprises:
- a registration step of registering a user of the information processing apparatus with the information providing apparatus;
- a record storage step of storing an access record of the user;
- a storage step of storing operation button information received from said content management apparatus by way of said network as information required for displaying an operation button on said information processing apparatus as a button to be operated in order to make a direct access to one of said contents from said information processing apparatus;
- and
- a providing step of providing a list of pieces of operation button information stored in processing carried out at said storage step to be selected by said information processing apparatus and providing predetermined operation button information selected from said list to said information processing apparatus,
- wherein upon an accessing of a content, the information processing apparatus sends an address of the first operation button to the information providing apparatus that acquires the content from another information providing apparatus according to the address and transmits the acquired content to the information processing apparatus,
- wherein the information providing apparatus provides to the user a streaming content button connecting to a list of favorite streaming contents complied by the information providing apparatus based on user information stored in a user information storage unit,
- wherein, upon selecting and acquiring operation button information, a operation button is displayed with a picture of an associated content, and
- wherein the providing step allows a user to acquire different sets of operation button information each time the user acquires operation button information.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.