JP2002108364A - Portable information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to enjoy information distributed through a network or downloaded multimedia contents of music, etc., without being aware of trouble for network connection. SOLUTION: A multimedia player reproduces music based upon a specified file (S272). It is judged whether or not this reproduced music has video information (S273) and when not, an image display part of an eyeware type image reproducing device is powered off (S274). When video information is available, the mentioned image display part is powered on (S275) continuously (S276) until the reproduction end. After the reproduction, it is judged (S277) whether or not the power source is turned OFF by operating an input part 3. When the power source is turned OFF, the operation is finished.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a portable information processing apparatus for storing a file downloaded via a network.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Today, with the development of communication technology and the improvement of communication infrastructure, distribution services and download services of various multimedia contents by e-mail, Internet connection, and the like have become widespread. Also,
Apart from this, applications specialized in multimedia, such as playing and editing music downloaded in a data format such as MP3 and processing images on a personal computer, are also becoming widespread.

[0003]

However, as described above,
Even if the network environment and applications controlled and executed by personal computers have become widespread, it is necessary to be aware of this when connecting to the Internet under the current situation, and it is troublesome for PC users to enjoy multimedia contents. There was something to feel. The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and allows a user to enjoy information distributed from a network or multimedia contents such as downloaded music without being bothered by a network connection. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable information processing device capable of performing the above-described operations.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing apparatus for storing a file downloaded via a network; Music information reproducing means for reading and reproducing music information from a file stored in a storage means, determining means for determining whether or not video information is included in the file, and as a result of the determination by the determining means, And a notifying means for notifying that the image information contains video information. Therefore, when video information is included in the downloaded file, a user listening to music based on the file can know that video information is included by notification. Therefore, the inconvenience of misunderstanding that only music information is included and missing video information is prevented beforehand.

Further, in the portable information processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the discriminating means determines that the file contains video information, the music information reproducing means reproduces the file. In accordance with the processing, video display means for displaying a video based on the video information, and when it is determined that the video information is not included in the file by the determination means, during the playback process by the music information playback means, Prohibiting means for prohibiting power supply to the video display means. Therefore, since power is supplied to the video display means only when a file having video information is reproduced, the life of the power supply of the portable information processing apparatus can be extended.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing apparatus, wherein: a storage state display means for displaying a storage state of a file stored in the storage means; And icon processing means for processing the icon data obtained by the icon data obtaining means according to the display capability of the storage state display means.
Therefore, the user can display and confirm the icon corresponding to the downloaded file according to the display capability of the device to be reproduced.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, a system according to this embodiment
b, a multimedia player 301 having a wireless communication function with the base station 3 and capable of accessing the Web server 2 via the telephone line network 4 and the network 1. The Web server 2 has a database 6. ing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the Web server 2 includes a communication control unit 22, an operation unit (keyboard) 23, a control unit (main frame) 24, a work memory 25, a display unit (display) 26, a storage management unit 27, Recording medium reading unit 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes a system interconnected by a system bus 21, which distributes data (music information) stored in the database 6 for a fee to the PC 5 operated by the registrant and provides a download service.

The communication control unit 22 is connected to the network 1 shown in FIG.
It has a function of controlling the connection when transmitting and receiving information by connecting to the database 6 via a LAN or a wide area network, and controls a port connected to a modem or a LAN system.

The storage management unit 27 includes a registrant management DB 271 for managing registrants who receive the service, a database 6 management DB 272 for managing the accumulation status of music information of various media stored in the database 6, and a log file 273. And The recording medium reading unit 28 reads information recorded on an external recording medium 29 (specifically, a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a floppy (registered trademark) disk) based on an operation from the operation unit 23.
It has a function of outputting to the system bus 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the registrant management DB 271 has a "management address" in the DB, a "user ID" and "password" used for registrant authentication, a registrant's name, contact information, and various downloads. "User information" composed of account information for payment of service fee, payment status, file data downloaded in the past, "service fee" generated when using the service up to now, and provision of registrant's service Is managed as one record, and a plurality of such records are stored and managed.

The DB 6 for database 6 management is
As shown in FIG. 4, the “management address” in the DB, the “storage address in the database 6”, which is the storage location of each music information file in the database 6, the “file name”, the artist, the label,
Single / album, record company, release time, etc.
"Comment data", "data size", file format, "file attributes" such as format, image information (jacket data, icon information, video information) , Lyrics information), the number of permitted copies, the number of permitted reproductions, “other accompanying data” such as the reproduction period, and the “registration date / update date” that is the date registered / updated in the database 6 are managed as one record. And a plurality of records are stored and managed. Also,
The log file 273 statistically manages the music information distributed in the past and the history of various services such as the file name and count number of the file requested to be downloaded, in association with the storage contents of the DB 272 for database 6 management. This is the file to be executed.

The multimedia player 301 comprises a reproducing apparatus 3011 for performing download and music reproduction, and an eyewear type image reproducing apparatus 3012 as a video display unit.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 5, the schematic configuration is made up of a CPU 3013 for controlling each unit. The playback device 3011 is driven by a power supply 3026, and the CPU 3013 has, via a bus B, an input unit 3016, an image display unit 3022 mounted on the eyewear type image playback device 3012, and a RAM 3.
017, a wireless control unit 3018, an antenna 3019, a media reader / writer 3020, a ROM 3021, a display unit 3027, and a decoder 3023 are connected. The input unit 3016 includes operation buttons and keys,
The operation from the user is detected. CPU301
Numeral 3 controls each circuit unit based on various control information stored in the ROM 3021. In the present embodiment, a function unit determines whether or not a file designated to be reproduced contains video information. And a power supply control unit 3015 for controlling the supply of the power supply 3026. The wireless control unit 3018 includes an antenna 3019, and is a circuit unit for wirelessly connecting to the telephone network 4-network 1-Web server 2 via the base station 3 in FIG.

A media reader / writer 3020 is configured to be detachable from the recording medium 203, and writes a downloaded file to the recording medium 203, and reads a file to be reproduced from the recording medium 203 during reproduction. The RAM 3017 temporarily stores the downloaded file,
It functions as a work memory that temporarily stores data based on various control operations of the PU 3013. ROM 3021
Stores various programs for operating the CPU 3013, and also stores a processing program based on the flow shown in FIG. The display unit 3027 displays an operation state of the multimedia player 401, a storage state of the recording medium 203, information obtained by wireless communication from the outside, and the like based on a user operation or the like. The decoder 3023 generates music (song) from the digital data stored in the downloaded file, amplifies the music, and then, via the audio output I / F 3024, the headphone 3 of the eyewear image reproducing apparatus 3012.
025.

In the processing flow of the reproducing apparatus shown in FIG.
When the multimedia player 301 detects that the power is turned on by detecting an operation on the input unit 3016 and that the music and image reproduction is specified by the user's predetermined operation (step S271), the reproduction of the music based on the specified file is performed. Is executed (step S272). Further, it is determined whether or not the reproduced music piece has video information (step S27).
3) When there is no video information, as shown in FIG. 7C, the image display unit 3 of the eyewear-type image reproducing device 3012
022 (step S27)
4). If there is video information, as shown in FIG. 7B, the power supply to the image display unit 3022 of the eyewear type image reproducing device 3012 is turned on (step S27).
5), continue until the reproduction ends (step S27)
6). When the reproduction is completed, it is determined whether the input unit 3016 has been operated and the power has been turned off (step S2).
77). When the power is turned off, the process ends.

According to the first embodiment, since power is supplied to the display unit only when a file having video information is reproduced, the life of the power source can be extended.

(Second Embodiment) In the configuration of the second embodiment, the network configuration is such that the user who uses the portable device (multimedia player 401) listens to music based on the downloaded file and downloads the downloaded file. This is a detailed description of a case where it is confirmed that the video information exists in the file.

The multimedia player 401 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG.
And the indicator 40 only when there is video information
The function of turning on 18 to indicate that there is video information is realized. In FIG. 8A, a multimedia player 401 is configured to be openable and closable, and includes a display portion 4021 at a position corresponding to a lid. In addition, a speaker 4025 and a headphone 4026 are provided. When the headphone 4026 is not connected in the open state, the speaker 4025 is driven, and in the closed state, music (song) is output from the headphone 4026. And FIG. 8 (A)
The display unit 4021 is turned on in the open state shown in FIG. 4 and turned off in the closed state shown in FIGS.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 9, the schematic configuration is made up of a CPU 4012 for controlling each unit. The CPU 4012 has an input unit 4011, a RAM 4015, a wireless control unit 4016, an antenna 4017, an indicator 4018, a media reader / writer 4019, a ROM 4020, and a
Display unit 4021, output switching unit 4023, decoder 402
2 and an audio output I / F 4024. The input unit 4011 includes operation buttons and keys, and detects an operation performed by a user. CPU4
Numeral 012 controls each circuit unit based on various control information stored in the ROM 4020. In the present embodiment, the function unit determines whether or not the file designated for reproduction contains video information. Determining section 4014 for performing
An output control unit 3013 for controlling the output switching unit 4023 is provided.

The radio control unit 4016 has an antenna 4017 and, in FIG.
Network 1-a circuit unit for wireless connection to the Web server 2. The media reader / writer 4019 is configured to be detachable from the recording medium 203, and writes a downloaded file to the recording medium 203, and reads a file to be reproduced from the recording medium 203 during reproduction. The RAM 4015 functions as a work memory that temporarily stores downloaded files and temporarily stores data based on various control operations of the CPU 4012. ROM 402
0 stores various programs for operating the CPU 4012, and also stores a processing program based on the flow shown in FIG. The decoder 4022 generates music (song) from digital data stored in the downloaded file, amplifies the music, and then outputs the audio output I / O.
The F4024 has a function of outputting to the headphones 4026 and music (song) to the speaker 4025 via the F4024.

The multimedia player 401 is shown in FIG.
0 operates according to the reproduction processing flow shown in FIG. First, when music and image reproduction designation by a user's predetermined operation is detected (step S281), music reproduction based on the designated file is executed (step S282). Next, it is determined whether or not the display unit 4021 is in the OFF state (step S283). If the display unit 4021 is in the OFF state, the process is executed according to the flow shown in FIG. 6 (step S248). Also, O
It is determined whether or not there is image information in the file to be reproduced, not in the FF state (step S285). If not, the indicator 4018 indicating the presence of image information is turned off (step S286).

If the file to be reproduced has image information, an indicator 4018 indicating that there is image information is turned on (step S287). As a result, FIG.
As shown in (C), even in the closed state, the indicator 4018 is lit to indicate that there is video information. When the reproduction is completed, it is determined whether or not the power has been turned off (step S289). Then, the processing from step S282 is repeated until the power is turned off, and the process ends.

According to the second embodiment, the user can confirm that video information exists in the downloaded file while listening to music based on the downloaded file.

(Third Embodiment) In the third embodiment, when the PC 5 is connected to the multimedia player 301 of the first embodiment, the PC 5 capable of color display and the monochrome display function The case where the display of the file icon is changed by the display unit 3027 of the multimedia player 401 having the above-described configuration will be described in detail.

As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the multimedia player 301 is connected to the PC 5. P
As shown in the schematic configuration block diagram of FIG. 12, C5 is configured around a CPU 51 that controls each unit.
The input / output section 52, the position detection circuit 53, the display drive circuit 54, the memory 55, the transmission / reception section 56, the system memory 57, the recording medium reading section 58, the RAM 62, and the tuner 63 are connected to the CPU 51. Input / output unit 52
Is a keyboard provided with various buttons to be described later, a hard disk (HD), a CD-
Record and read information to and from R drive, DVD-RAM drive, VHS video drive, DV (digital video) drive, MD drive, and MP3 media drive 302, and perform three-dimensional audio such as 5.1CH or 6CH Dolby Digital or DTS. An interface for inputting and outputting data to and from the output system, and a mouse is also connected. CR-ROM drive 1
01 is an example of a specific configuration of various media drives connected to the input / output unit 52,
A scanner 105 that optically reads a print surface formed on the upper surface of the CD 104 is provided. In addition, this PC
In 5, the operation of each drive is performed by an operation button on a keyboard of the PC, a PC main body, or software of the PC. In addition, after information is recorded on any selected media, each media can be carried by dedicated hardware for reproducing these media, so that the user can select the desired location at any desired time. It is possible to play such media in a short time.

The position detecting circuit 53 includes a tablet 59
The display drive circuit 54 detects the input position in response to a pen input or the like by the user.
Is to be driven. The memory 55 is constituted by a hard disk (HD). In this memory 55, the user information storage area 551 stores the We
b. Connection information to server 2 (in the case of Internet connection, the URL (Uniform Resource
urce Locators), registrants (= users)
D and password), connection history with the Web server 2 such as what kind of music information has been received in the past, what file (song, music) has been downloaded,
And an area for storing an amount to be paid when the service is used. A distribution information storage area 552 is an area for storing music information such as new music information distributed from the Web server 2. In addition, a download data storage management area 553 for storing information on files downloaded up to now, Download storage area 554 for storing downloaded files, C
It is divided by the work area 555 of the PU 51 and the like.
FIG. 13 illustrates the storage state of the download data storage management area 553. The “management address” of the storage area, the “file name” of the downloaded file, the “file storage address” in the download storage area 554, and the album "Property data" composed of data related to the file, such as name, artist, lyrics, release date, etc., and "Download related data" composed of data related to the service, such as the number of playbacks, playback period, number of copies, etc. , Image information (“other accompanying data” composed of jacket data, icon data, etc.) and “date of download” are managed as one record, and a plurality of these records are stored and managed. For wireless communication with the telephone network 4 via the base station 3 Is composed of a modulator and a demodulator or the like. The system memory 57, OS (OperatingSys
tem) is stored, and the recording medium reading unit 58 reads a program stored in the recording medium 61. Then, based on the program read by the recording medium reading unit 58 from the recording medium 61, the CPU 51 executes necessary processing or controls each unit as shown in a flowchart described later. The RAM 62 has a function as a work memory for temporarily storing data input from the outside.

Thus, the PC 5 operates according to the flow shown in FIG. That is, when the file transfer execution is detected by the user's operation (step S291), the display capability of the display unit 3027 of the multimedia player 301 of the transfer destination is acquired and confirmed (step S292). Then, the multimedia player 30 is stored in the PC 5.
It is determined whether the icon for one is stored. If there is (step S295), at the time of file transfer, the icon corresponding to the transfer destination multimedia player 301 is added and transferred, and the received multimedia player 301 displays the transferred icon on the side of the received multimedia player 301. (Step S296).

If there is no icon, the icon displayed on the PC 5 is displayed on the multimedia player 3.
01 (step S)
294). That is, the icon displayed on the PC 5 is changed to a form that makes it easier to see on the multimedia player 301 side. Thereafter, at the time of file transfer, the icon is added and transferred, and the multimedia player 301 receiving the icon displays the transferred icon (step S296).

According to the third embodiment, the user can display and confirm the icon corresponding to the downloaded file according to the display capability of the device to be reproduced.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, when it is determined that video information is included in a file downloaded via a network, this is notified, so that music based on the file is played. The user listening can know that the video information is included by the notification. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a problem that the user mistakenly thinks that only the music information is included and misses the video information. In addition, power is supplied to the video display unit only when a file having video information is reproduced, so that the life of the power source of the portable information processing apparatus can be extended.

Also, a storage state display means for displaying a storage state of a file stored in the storage means, an icon data acquisition means for externally acquiring icon data of the file, and an icon acquired by the icon data acquisition means By providing processing means for processing data according to the display capability of the storage state display means, the user can display an icon corresponding to the downloaded file,
It is possible to display and confirm the display corresponding to the display capability of the device to be reproduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system to which a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a Web server.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a registrant management DB.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a database management DB configuration.

FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of the multimedia player according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a reproduction process in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an operation transition diagram of music and video playback device processing.

FIG. 8 is an operation transition diagram of the multimedia player according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the multimedia player.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a reproduction process in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an external view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a PC.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a storage state of a download data storage management area.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an icon display change process according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network 2 Web server 3 Base station 4 Telephone network 5 PC 51 CPU 55 Memory 56 Transceiver 57 ROM 301 Multimedia player 401 Multimedia player

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing a file downloaded via a network, a music information reproducing unit for reading and reproducing music information from a file stored in the storage unit, and the file contains video information. And a notifying means for notifying whether or not the file contains video information as a result of the discrimination by the discriminating means. Information processing device. 2. A video display means for displaying a video based on the video information in accordance with a reproduction process by the music information reproduction means when the discrimination means determines that the file contains video information. Prohibiting means for prohibiting power supply to the video display means during reproduction processing by the music information reproducing means when the discrimination means determines that the file does not include video information. The portable information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A storage status display unit for displaying a storage status of a file stored in the storage unit, an icon data acquisition unit for externally acquiring icon data of the file, and an icon data acquired by the icon data acquisition unit. 2. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising processing means for processing the icon data in accordance with the display capability of the storage state display means.