JP2000251408A - Method for reproducing information, recording and reproducing device, and server device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for reproducing information, recording and reproducing device, and a server device wherein reproduction of the information is not interrupted even thoucrh a battery power source is running short while reproducing the information with the battery power source, in an environment like a home network where digital devices are connected to a transmission line. SOLUTION: When a battery power source is running short while a DVCR connected to a transmission line 1394 is reproducing information with the battery power source, the DVCR requests the home server via the transmission line 1394 to transfer recording information to make the other devices reproduce the information, and when the DVCR is notified from the home sever of a node ID of the other device (for example, DTV) permitting to reproduce the information, the recording information, and the positional information to start therefrom are transferred from the DVCR to the home server, and are transferred to the DTV from the home server so that the reproduction is restarted to continue the recording information at a timing as predetermined.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, IEEE 1394.
In a system such as a home network in which a plurality of digital devices are connected to a transmission line according to the connection standard, the remaining amount of battery power is reduced during information reproduction by the battery power of the device connected to the transmission line. In such a case, an information reproduction method for continuously reproducing the remaining recorded information by another device connected to the transmission path, a recording / reproduction apparatus for realizing such an information reproduction method, and a recording / reproduction apparatus connected to the transmission path. The present invention relates to a server device that controls information transfer between devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Digital video cassette recorders (DVCs)
R), a digital device such as a digital still camera (DSC) records video information, audio information, and the like on a disk medium such as a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, and a compact disk. This recorded information can be reproduced on a liquid crystal monitor, digital television (DTV), or the like attached to the device by a battery power supply or an AC power supply.

[0003]

In such a digital device, when the remaining amount of the battery power is reduced while the recorded information is being reproduced by the battery power, a message for warning that the remaining amount is reduced is issued. Display on LCD monitor, DTV, etc. The user who sees this warning message recharges the battery, replaces the battery with another battery, or connects the AC adapter to switch to AC power, and then resumes the reproduction of the recorded information. However, the reproduction of the recorded information is interrupted while the user charges the battery, replaces the battery with another battery, or switches to the AC power supply by connecting the AC adapter.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a plurality of digital devices are connected to a transmission line according to a connection standard such as IEEE 1394 to transfer information between the devices. Using a network system such as a so-called home network, which is controlled by a server device,
When the remaining power of the battery power becomes low during the reproduction of the recording information by the battery power, the recording information is transferred to another device connected to the transmission path and the reproduction is continued, so that the recording with the battery power is performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information reproducing method, a recording / reproducing device, and a server device in which reproduction of recorded information is not interrupted even when the remaining amount of a battery power becomes small during reproduction of information.

[0005]

An information reproducing method according to a first aspect of the present invention is a system in which a server device controls information transfer between devices via a transmission line to which a plurality of devices can be connected. An information reproducing method for reproducing recorded information of a first device which is connected and capable of reproducing recorded recording information with a battery power supply, the method comprising the steps of: Is detected by the first device, and when the first device detects that the remaining amount of the battery power reaches the remaining amount at which the reproduction of the recording information becomes impossible, the recording information can be reproduced. The first device requests the server device to transfer the record information to the other device via the transmission line, and the second device capable of reproducing the record information is connected to the transmission line. Notified by the server device to the first device In such a case, the recording information and the information of the position where the reproduction should be started by the second device are transferred from the first device to the server device, and the recording information and the position information are transferred so that the reproduction of the recording information continues. The reproduction is started from the server device to the second device so that the reproduction is started at a predetermined timing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, the server device outputs, from the server device, information capable of determining a second device for reproducing the recorded information.

[0007] A recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is a system in which a server device controls transfer of information between devices via a transmission path to which a plurality of devices can be connected. A recording / reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing the recorded information with the battery power, means for detecting the remaining amount of the battery power during reproduction of the recorded information by the battery power, and Means for requesting the server device to transfer the record information via the transmission path to another device capable of reproducing the record information, when detecting that the remaining amount is reached at which reproduction becomes impossible. When the server apparatus notifies that the second device capable of reproducing the record information is connected to the transmission path, the record information to be reproduced by the second device and the reproduction by the second device are reproduced. Information on where to start The is characterized in that a means for transferring to the server device.

[0008] A server device according to the present invention is a server device for controlling transfer of information between devices via a transmission path to which a plurality of devices can be connected.
Device requests the transfer of the recorded information to another device capable of reproducing the recorded information recorded in the first device, detects the second device capable of reproducing the recorded information. Means for notifying the first device that a second device capable of reproducing the recorded information is connected to the transmission path when a second device is present; The recording information to be reproduced by the second device and the information of the position at which reproduction should be started by the second device transferred from the device are reproduced at a predetermined timing such that the reproduction of the recorded information is continued. And means for transferring the data to the second device so that the process is started.

In the present invention, a network system such as a so-called home network in which a plurality of digital devices are connected to a transmission path according to a connection standard of IEEE 1394, for example, and a server device controls information transfer between the devices. When the device detects that the remaining amount of the battery power is low while reproducing the record information by the battery power, the device requests the server device to transfer the record information to another device capable of reproducing the record information. . When a second device capable of reproduction is connected to the transmission path, recording information to be reproduced by the second device;
For example, when each frame of the recording information is managed by a frame number, information of a position to start reproduction, such as a frame number to start reproduction, is transferred to the server device. The server device transfers the record information and the position information transferred from the first device to the second device so that the reproduction is started at a timing at which the reproduction of the record information of the first device continues. . The second device starts reproduction of the recorded information transferred from the server device from the position indicated by the position information. With this, even if the remaining amount of the battery power is low while the recorded information is being reproduced on the battery power,
Playback of recorded information is not interrupted.

Further, in the present invention, the name, icon, etc. of the second device which continues to reproduce the recorded information are displayed on its own monitor or the monitor which is reproducing the recorded information, or provided on the second device. It outputs information that enables the determination of which device the second device is, such as turning on or blinking an indicator such as a lamp, or notifying the name of the device by voice.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a home network for realizing the information reproducing method of the present invention. The home network includes, for example, a digital video cassette recorder (DVCR) having an interface conforming to the IEEE 1394 connection standard, a digital television (DT).
V), digital still cameras (DSC), digital video disc players (DVD) and other digital devices, IEEE 1
By connecting to the transmission path (1394) of the 394 connection standard, video information, audio information, and the like can be exchanged at high speed between devices, for example, and with another external network.

The transmission path (1394) can connect up to 63 nodes in one bus environment (tree). The transmission line (1394) is connected to a home server such as a personal computer, for example. The home server identifies devices connected to the transmission path (1394), determines node IDs of these devices, and controls transfer such as synchronous transfer and asynchronous transfer.

[0013] Also, in a procedure described later, when the remaining power of the battery power becomes small and the reproduction becomes impossible due to the remaining amount of the battery power being supplied from the first device, the home server transmits the information from the first device. In response to the request, the node ID of the second device capable of reproducing the recorded information is detected,
The recording information transferred from the second device and the information of the reproduction start position are transferred such that the second device starts reproducing the recording information at a timing at which the reproduction of the recording information is continued.

The home server displays the name, icon, and the like of the second device that continues to reproduce the recorded information on its own monitor or the monitor that is reproducing the recorded information, or is provided in the second device. It outputs information that enables the determination of which device the second device is, such as turning on or blinking an indicator such as a lamp, or notifying the name of the device by voice.

Next, a procedure for reproducing recorded information in the home network as described above will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. In this example, the first device is
The case where the DVCR and the second device are DTV will be described. DVCR
The reproduction of the recorded information on the DTV or the like is started with the battery power supply (step S1). The DVCR periodically checks the remaining battery power (step S2), and when the remaining battery power becomes low enough to make it impossible to reproduce the recorded information within a predetermined time,
Inquires the home server about the node ID of another device connected to the network that can record and play back (step S
3).

The home server that has received the inquiry from the DVCR detects the node ID of another device capable of recording and reproducing (step S4), and notifies the DVCR of the detected node ID (step S5). The node ID of another device that can record and play back
Can be detected by generating and managing a table that associates node IDs with device type information, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-173688. During this time, the DVCR continues to reproduce recorded information on battery power. DVCR when the node ID is returned from the home server
Is the home information of the recording information to be reproduced by the device and information of the position to start the reproduction, such as the frame number to start the reproduction if each frame of the recording information is managed by a frame number. Transfer to the server (step S6).

In the home server, the DTV reproduces the recording information and the position information transferred from the DVCR such that the reproduction is started at a timing at which the reproduction of the recording information of the DVCR is continued.
The transfer to the DTV is performed by controlling the transfer timing to the DTV (step S7). When the position information such as the frame number for reproducing the record information reaches the position information transferred to the home server, the DVCR stops reproducing the record information on the battery power. The DTV starts reproducing the recorded information from the position indicated by the position information transferred from the home server (step S8).

In the above description, the connection standard for the transmission path of the home network is IEEE 1394, but the connection standard for the transmission path is not limited to this.

[0019]

As described above, the information reproducing method of the present invention
The recording / reproducing device and the server device connect a plurality of digital devices to a transmission path according to a connection standard such as IEEE 1394, and control the information transfer between the devices by the server device. If the remaining battery power is low during playback of recorded information using battery power, the recorded information is transferred to another device connected to the transmission path and playback is continued. There is an excellent effect that the reproduction of the recorded information is not interrupted even if the remaining amount of the battery power becomes small during the reproduction of the recorded information with the power supply.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a home network for realizing an information reproducing method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an information reproducing method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DVCR Digital Video Cassette Recorder DTV Digital Television DSC Digital Still Camera DVD Digital Video Disc Player

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A system in which a server device controls the transfer of information between devices via a transmission path to which a plurality of devices can be connected. The system is connected to the transmission line and records recorded information on a battery power source. An information reproducing method for reproducing recorded information of a first device which can be reproduced by the first device, wherein the first device detects the remaining amount of the battery power during reproduction of the recorded information by the battery power, If the first device detects that the remaining amount reaches a remaining amount at which the reproduction of the recording information becomes impossible, the recording information via the transmission path to another device capable of reproducing the recording information is transmitted. From the first device to the server device, and the server device notifies the first device that the second device capable of reproducing the recorded information is connected to the transmission path. , Recorded information, and playback on the second device Transferring the information of the position to be started from the first device to the server device, and setting the server so that the recording information and the position information are reproduced at a predetermined timing such that reproduction of the recording information is continued. An information reproducing method, wherein the information is transferred from a device to a second device. 2. The information reproducing method according to claim 1, wherein the server device outputs information capable of determining a second device that reproduces the recorded information. 3. A system in which a server device controls the transfer of information between devices via a transmission line to which a plurality of devices can be connected. Means for detecting the remaining amount of the battery power during the reproduction of the record information by the battery power, and the remaining power of the battery power makes the reproduction of the record information impossible. Means for requesting the server device to transfer the record information via the transmission path to another device capable of reproducing the record information when detecting that the remaining amount is reached; When the server device notifies that the second device is connected to the transmission path,
Means for transferring, to a server device, recording information to be reproduced by a second device and information on a position at which reproduction is to be started by the second device. 4. A server device for controlling transfer of information between devices via a transmission path to which a plurality of devices can be connected, wherein the first device connected to the transmission line is connected to the first device. Means for detecting a second device capable of reproducing the recorded information when requesting transfer of the recorded information to another device capable of reproducing the recorded information; If present, means for notifying the first device that a second device capable of reproducing the recorded information is connected to the transmission line; and a second device transferred from the first device. The recording information to be reproduced by the second device and the information of the position at which reproduction is to be started by the second device are set so as to start reproduction at a predetermined timing such that reproduction of the recorded information is continued. A server device comprising: means for transferring to a device.