Content server, content providing system, and content providing method

A content providing system comprising:

• a content server configured to provide a plurality of supplemental content items;
• a first device configured to connect to the content server through a network by predetermined identification information;
• and
• a second device configured to connect to the content server through the network by the predetermined identification information,
• wherein the first device includes:
• circuitry configured to execute a content item;
• and
• a communication interface configured to transmit metadata identifying an execution state of the content item when executed by the circuitry to the content server,
• the content server includes:
• a receiver configured to receive, from the first device, the metadata identifying the execution state of the content item executed in the first device and the predetermined identification information held in the first device through the network;
• a memory configured to store a supplemental content item associated with the content item of the metadata identifying the execution state of the content item executed in the first device;
• a content extractor configured to extract the supplemental content item based on the metadata identifying the execution state of the content item executed in the first device received by the receiver from the memory;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the supplemental content item extracted from the memory by the content extractor to the second device having predetermined identification information same as the predetermined identification information received by the receiver from the first device through the network, and
• the second device includes:
• a communication interface configured to receive the supplemental content item transmitted from the transmitter;
• and
• a display interface configured to output the supplemental content item received by the communication interface.

A method of a content providing apparatus for providing supplemental content, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a first device, metadata identifying an execution state of a content item executed in the first device connected through a network and predetermined identification information held in the first device through the network;
• extracting a supplemental content item based on the metadata identifying the execution state of the content item executed in the first device received in the receiving step from a memory which stores the supplemental content item associated with the content item of the metadata described with the execution state of the content item executed in the first device;
• and
• transmitting the supplemental content item extracted from the memory in the content extracting step to a second device having the predetermined identification information received from the first device in the receiving step through the network.