JP2007180602A - Terminal and content reproducing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content reproducing method capable of extending a battery lifetime of content reproducing apparatuses and to provide a terminal employing the content reproducing method. <P>SOLUTION: A user operates the terminal 2 to acquire lists of contents recorded in storage sections 13 of the respective reproducing apparatuses 1 and the residual amount of batteries 16 of the reproducing apparatuses 1 through wireless communication. When the contents to be reproduced are overlappingly recorded in the plurality of reproducing apparatuses 1, the terminal 2 selects one of the reproducing apparatuses 1, the residual capacity of the battery of which is highest. The selected reproducing apparatus 1 transmits contents data to a viewing listening apparatus 3, which reproduces the contents. Since the reproduction of contents is not concentrated on a particular reproducing apparatus 1, the battery lifetime of the reproducing apparatuses 1 can be extended. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to wireless communication technology.

  In addition to conventional magnetic tapes, CDs (Compact Discs), and MDs (Mini Discs), in recent years, content such as video and music has been recorded on DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) and HDDs (Hard Disc Drives). It's being used. Many music reproducing apparatuses that can reproduce both CD and MD have been used. In recent years, notebook computers having a content reproduction function and a recording function have been widely used. A content reproduction apparatus including a notebook computer is provided with, for example, an HDD as a recording medium, and content recorded on the HDD can be recorded on a DVD or CD. In addition, content recorded on the HDD or content recorded on a DVD or CD can be reproduced.

Patent Document 1 describes an electronic device that includes a plurality of content providing devices and can be centrally controlled by a remote controller. A content list can be generated from content information acquired from a plurality of content providing apparatuses, and the selected content can be reproduced. Regardless of the type of content providing apparatus, it is possible to control content selection or content reproduction based on a control signal transmitted from a remote controller.
JP 2005-198029 A

  However, in the case of the above-described method, if content reproduction concentrates on a specific content providing apparatus, the battery may run out when the content providing apparatus is driven by a battery.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a content reproduction method capable of extending the battery life of the content reproduction device and a terminal device used in the content reproduction method.

In order to achieve the above object, a terminal device according to the present invention is driven by a battery and is capable of recording and reproducing a first content, and a first recording and reproducing device capable of recording and reproducing a second content. In the terminal device capable of wireless communication with the playback device, the remaining battery level acquisition unit for acquiring the remaining battery level of the first recording / playback device and the second recording / playback device by the wireless communication, and the wireless communication The content information acquisition unit for acquiring the information of the content recorded in the first recording / reproducing device and the second recording / reproducing device, the acquired first recording / reproducing device, and the second recording / reproducing device An information management unit that manages the battery remaining amount of the device in association with the acquired content information, and is recorded in the first recording / reproducing device. Content and the second content recorded in the second recording / playback device have the same content, cause the first recording / playback device or the second recording / playback device with a large remaining battery capacity to play the content. It is characterized by.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the content reproduction method which can extend the battery life of a content reproduction apparatus, and the terminal device used for this content reproduction method can be provided.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a content reproduction system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, common items provided in each apparatus are distinguished by changing the reference numerals. In the first embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that three playback devices 1 are provided. Of course, two playback devices 1 may be provided, and a plurality of playback devices 1 may be provided. The playback device 1 is provided with an antenna 10 for wireless communication. The playback device 1 has a wireless communication function, and has a storage unit described later, and can play back stored audio data and video data. The terminal device 2 is provided with an antenna 20 for wireless communication. The terminal device 2 operates the playback device 1 by wireless communication. The viewing device 3 is provided with an antenna 30 for wireless communication. The viewing device 3 is a device that outputs audio data and video data received from the playback device 1 by wireless communication. For example, it is conceivable to use Bluetooth (registered trademark) for wireless communication. One terminal device 2 and one viewing device 3 are provided, whereas a plurality of playback devices 1 are provided. The content stored in each playback device 1 can be output and viewed by the viewing device 3.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the playback apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of reproducing apparatuses 1 are provided, but here, one will be described as a representative. The playback device 1 mainly includes a wireless communication transmission / reception unit 11, a wireless communication control unit 12, a storage unit 13, a content playback control unit 14, a battery management unit 15, a battery 16, and a content playback unit 17. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 11 receives a connection request signal from the terminal device 2 or the viewing device 3 via the antenna 10. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 11 transmits a connection request signal to the terminal device 2 or the viewing device 3 according to an instruction from the wireless communication control unit 12. Further, the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 11 establishes a wireless communication connection with the terminal device 2 or the viewing device 3 by receiving a response to the connection request from the terminal device 2 or the viewing device 3 and sending it to the wireless communication control unit 12. . The content playback unit 17 is a part that performs storage and playback control of content, and includes a storage unit 13 and a content playback control unit 14. The storage unit 13 includes a hard disk drive, an optical disk, a flash memory, and the like, and content data is stored in the storage unit 13. The content reproduction control unit 14 receives a content reproduction request signal from the terminal device 2 via the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 11. When the content reproduction request signal is received, the selected content is taken out from the storage unit 13. The reproduction signal of the selected content is sent to the viewing device 3 via the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 11. The battery management unit 15 receives a battery remaining amount acquisition request signal from the terminal device 2 via the wireless communication transmission / reception unit 11. When the battery remaining amount acquisition request signal is received, battery remaining amount information is extracted from the battery 16. The battery remaining amount information is sent to the terminal device 2 via the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 11.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The terminal device 2 mainly includes a wireless communication transmission / reception unit 21, a wireless communication control unit 22, an information management unit 23, a playlist generation unit 24, a display unit 25, a remaining battery capacity storage unit 26, and a user interface unit 27. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 21 receives a connection request signal from the playback device 1 or the viewing device 3 via the antenna 20. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 21 sends a connection request to the playback apparatus 1 according to an instruction from the wireless communication control unit 22. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 21 establishes a wireless communication connection with the playback device 1 by receiving a response to the connection request from the playback device 1 and sending the response to the wireless communication control unit 22. The information management unit 23 receives a content list, battery information, and the like of the playback device 1 via the wireless communication transmission / reception unit 21. The received content information and playback device information are sent to the playback list generation unit 24 to create a playback list of content. The created reproduction list is displayed on the display unit 25. The remaining battery level of the playback device 1 is stored in the remaining battery level storage unit 26. When the user operates the user interface unit 27, the content to be reproduced is selected from the reproduction list displayed on the display unit 25. The information management unit 23 instructs the wireless communication control unit 22 to send a connection request to the playback device 1 in which the selected content is registered. In response to an instruction from the wireless communication control unit 22, the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 21 transmits a connection request signal to the corresponding playback device 1 via the antenna 20.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the viewing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The viewing device 3 includes a wireless communication transmission / reception unit 31, a wireless communication control unit 32, a received signal reproduction unit 33, and an audio reproduction unit 34. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 31 receives a connection request signal from the playback device 1 via the antenna 30. The wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 31 sends the received connection request signal and a response signal to the connection request to the wireless communication control unit 32. The wireless communication control unit 32 establishes a wireless communication connection with the playback device 1 by sending a connection request signal and a response signal to the connection request to the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 31. The wireless communication transmission / reception unit 31 receives a content reproduction signal from the reproduction device 1. The received content reproduction signal is sent to the reception signal reproduction unit 33. The reception signal reproduction unit 33 separates the audio signal and the video signal from the content reproduction signal. The audio signal is sent to the audio reproduction unit 34. The audio reproducing unit 34 reproduces the audio of the received content. The video signal is sent to the video playback unit 35. The video playback unit 35 plays back the video of the received content.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation during content reproduction according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The user operates the user interface unit 27 of the terminal device 2 to instruct the information management unit 23 to search for the playback device 1. The information management unit 23 of the terminal device 2 makes a search request for the playback device 1 to the wireless communication control unit 22 (step 1). In response to an instruction from the wireless communication control unit 22, the wireless communication transmitting / receiving unit 21 attempts to detect the playback device 1. When the playback device 1 is not detected (No in step 2), the detection of the playback device 1 is attempted again. When the playback device 1 is detected (Yes in step 2), a wireless communication connection is established between the playback device 1 and the terminal device 2 (step 3). The terminal device 2 acquires the content information and battery remaining amount information of the playback device 1 from one or more playback devices 1 that have established a wireless communication connection by wireless communication (step 4). The terminal device 2 creates a content list in which the content information of all the detected playback devices 1 is collected (step 5). The user selects a desired content from the content list displayed on the terminal device 2 (step 6). At this time, if the selected content is recorded in only one playback device 1 (No in step 7), the wireless communication connection between the playback device 1 and the viewing device 3 is established (step 9). On the other hand, when the same content as the selected content exists in the plurality of playback devices 1 (Yes in step 7), a connection request for wireless communication connection is made to the playback device 1 with the largest remaining battery level. (Step 8). When the wireless communication connection between the playback device 1 and the viewing device 3 is established (step 9), the playback device 1 sends a playback signal of the content selected by the terminal device 2 to the viewing device 3 (step 10). The viewing device 3 plays back the playback signal of the received content (step 11).

  When the playback ends, the playback device 1 notifies the terminal device 2 of the end of content playback. At the same time, the playback device 1 transmits the remaining battery level of the playback device 1 to the terminal device 2. The terminal device 2 stores the transmitted battery remaining amount in the battery remaining amount storage unit 26 of the terminal device 2. When the content is reproduced by the above method, it is possible to prevent the content reproduction from being concentrated on a specific reproduction apparatus 1. When there is the same content among the plurality of playback devices 1, the playback device 1 with a large remaining battery capacity is selected and played back, so that more content can be played back as a result.

  When the first embodiment is implemented, the battery life of the playback device can be extended.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation during content reproduction according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Description of the same parts as those of the first embodiment is omitted. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment mainly in that the content playback unit 17 is turned off except for the playback device 1 that plays back the selected content among the plurality of playback devices 1. .

  Initially, the content playback unit 17 of the playback device 1 stands by in a power-off state (step 20). At this time, the wireless communication connection between the terminal device 2 and each playback device 1 is secured. Further, the content information and battery remaining amount information of the playback device 1 are acquired by wireless communication, and a content list in which the content information of all the playback devices 1 is collected is created in advance. When the content to be played back is selected through the operation of the terminal device 2 (step 21), it is confirmed whether or not the selected content is recorded in the plurality of playback devices 1 (step 22). If the selected content is recorded in only one playback device 1 (No in step 22), the wireless communication connection between the playback device 1 and the viewing device 3 is established (step 24). On the other hand, if the same content as the selected content exists in a plurality of playback devices 1 (Yes in step 22), a connection request for wireless communication connection is made to the playback device 1 with the largest remaining battery level. (Step 23). When the wireless communication connection between the playback device 1 and the viewing device 3 is established (step 24), the content playback unit 17 of the selected playback device 1 is turned on (step 25). The playback device 1 sends a playback signal of the selected content to the viewing device 3 (step 26). The viewing device 3 plays back the playback signal of the received content (step 27).

  When the playback ends, the playback device 1 notifies the terminal device 2 of the end of content playback. At the same time, the playback device 1 transmits the remaining battery level of the playback device 1 to the terminal device 2. The terminal device 2 stores the transmitted battery remaining amount in the battery remaining amount storage unit 26 of the terminal device 2.

  In the present embodiment, the wireless communication connection between the playback device 1 and the viewing device 3 is established after selecting the content to be played back. However, even if the wireless communication connection between the playback device 1 and the viewing device 3 is secured in advance. good. In the present embodiment, the playback device 1 turns off the power of the content playback unit 17 during standby, and turns on the power only when playing back the selected content. Can be suppressed.

  When the second embodiment is implemented, the battery life of the playback device can be extended.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as long as it does not depart from the gist of the present invention, and various modifications are possible.

1 is an overall configuration diagram according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the reproducing | regenerating apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the terminal device which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the viewing-and-listening apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the reproducing | regenerating apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the reproducing | regenerating apparatus which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Playback apparatus, 2 ... Terminal device, 3 ... Viewing apparatus, 10 ... Antenna, 11 ... Wireless communication transmission / reception part, 12 ... Wireless communication control part, 13 ... Memory | storage part, 14 ... Content reproduction control part, 15 ... Battery management part , 16 ... battery, 17 ... content reproduction unit, 20 ... antenna, 21 ... wireless communication transmission / reception unit, 22 ... wireless communication control unit, 23 ... information management unit, 24 ... playlist generation unit, 25 ... display unit, 26 ... battery Remaining amount storage unit 27 ... User interface unit 30 ... Antenna 31 ... Wireless communication transmission / reception unit 32 ... Wireless communication control unit 33 ... Received signal reproduction unit 34 ... Audio reproduction unit 35 ... Video reproduction unit

Claims (5)

In a first recording / reproducing device that is driven by a battery and that can record / reproduce the first content, a second recording / reproducing device that can record / reproduce the second content, and a terminal device capable of wireless communication,
A remaining battery level acquisition unit for acquiring the remaining battery level of the first recording / reproducing device and the second recording / reproducing device by the wireless communication;
A content information acquisition unit configured to acquire information of content recorded in the first recording / reproducing device and the second recording / reproducing device by the wireless communication;
An information management unit for managing the acquired remaining battery capacity of the first recording / reproducing device and the second recording / reproducing device and the information of the acquired content in association with each other; When the first content recorded in the recording / reproducing apparatus and the second content recorded in the second recording / reproducing apparatus have the same content, the first recording / reproducing apparatus or the second one having a large remaining battery capacity A terminal apparatus that causes a recording / playback apparatus to play back content.   3. The terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus that is not reproducing the content of the first recording / reproducing apparatus and the second recording / reproducing apparatus is turned off. A first recording / reproducing apparatus that is driven by a battery and that can record / reproduce the first content, a second recording / reproducing apparatus that can record / reproduce the second content, and a terminal device that can wirelessly communicate the content. A method of playing,
Content recorded in the first recording / reproducing apparatus and the second recording / reproducing apparatus by acquiring the remaining battery levels of the first recording / reproducing apparatus and the second recording / reproducing apparatus through the wireless communication Get information about
Managing the acquired remaining battery power of the first recording / reproducing device and the second recording / reproducing device in association with the acquired content information;
Select the content to play,
If the selected content is the same as the first content recorded in the first recording / reproducing device and the second content recorded in the second recording / reproducing device, the remaining battery capacity A content reproducing method, wherein content is reproduced by a large number of first recording / reproducing devices or second recording / reproducing devices. A first recording / reproducing device that is driven by a battery and can record / reproduce the first content, a second recording / reproducing device capable of recording / reproducing the second content, the first recording / reproducing device, and the second A playback device that outputs video data and audio data of content played back by any of the recording and playback devices, and a method of playing back content using a terminal device capable of wireless communication,
Content recorded in the first recording / reproducing apparatus and the second recording / reproducing apparatus by acquiring the remaining battery levels of the first recording / reproducing apparatus and the second recording / reproducing apparatus through the wireless communication Get information about
Managing the acquired remaining battery power of the first recording / reproducing device and the second recording / reproducing device in association with the acquired content information;
Select the content to play,
If the selected content is the same as the first content recorded in the first recording / reproducing device and the second content recorded in the second recording / reproducing device, the remaining battery capacity Content is played back by a large number of first recording / playback devices or second recording / playback devices,
Transmitting video data and audio data of content to be played back by the wireless communication to the viewing device;
A content reproduction method comprising outputting video data and audio data of content to be reproduced by the viewing device. 5. The content reproduction method according to claim 3, wherein a recording / reproduction device that is not reproducing content is turned off among the first recording / reproduction device and the second recording / reproduction device. .

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