MXPA99007804A

MXPA99007804A - System of search, device and method of search, and device and method of introduction of da

Info

Publication number: MXPA99007804A
Application number: MXPA/A/1999/007804A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Deguchi Yuichiro; Ando Naotaka; Matsuoka Akiko
Original assignee: Sony Corporation
Priority date: 1999-03-25
Filing date: 1999-08-24
Publication date: 2000-12-06

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method to allow a necessary search even if a precise key is not known during a search operation of a broadcast content. A list of played pieces comprising the names of the pieces of music broadcasted from a broadcasting station and time information is accumulated in DB1. The broadcast station information and the location information that are registered by a user and a user ID are accumulated in DB2. When a user likes a piece of music broadcast from a broadcasting station, by pressing the button of a bookmark in this place, the time information at this time is stored in a memory. The time information stored in the bookmark and the user ID are supplied to a search engine through a gate device. In the search engine, the sending stations to be searched are reduced in terms of their number based on the user ID in DB2, and DB1 is searched based on the time information. The piece of music issued at the moment represented by the time information is searched, and the search result is transmitted to the gate device and visualized

Description

SEARCH SYSTEM, DEVICE AND SEARCH METHOD, AND DEVICE AND METHOD OF INTRODUCTION OF DATA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention The present invention relates to a search system, device and method of search and device and method of introduction of data that can search and obtain information issued with precision after it has been issued. 2. Description of the Related Art To date, database systems are known to search for data that is established as a database and accumulated in a computer system. A user obtains a desired information by operating a terminal device connected to a database system directly or through a network. For example, the user enters a key from the terminal device that appears to be appropriate. The database system performs a search operation based on the entered key and supplies the search result through the terminal device to the user. When the amount of information provided in this way is important, the user also establishes a key for the information provided in this way, so that the user can carry out a more limited search operation. Here, a case will be described in which a user searches for music data through the use of a database system in which the music data is accumulated. For example, based on the result of a search, the user can know title information, etc., of a CD (compact disc) where desired pieces of music are recorded, and then consider the purchase of the CD. Here, the music data is information about musical pieces, and includes various information such as titles of musical pieces, the names of the artists, an album title, that is, the title of the musical CD, the year of production, a sales agency, etc. The music data may contain the audio data of the music data itself. In the database system, for each piece of music, some keys are established for information attached to the music data, such as the name of the artist, the musical work, the album title, etc. For example, we are going to consider that a user likes a musical piece accidentally broadcast in a radio broadcast and that the user wants to obtain information about the musical work. In this case, after the broadcast, the user searches for the piece of music using a music database in accordance with what is described above. For example, the user establishes keys and carries out the search operation on the basis of the information attached to the piece of music obtained through an introduction of the broadcaster issued together with the musical work. In the conventional music database in accordance with what is described above, if the keys are not entered properly, a desired result can not be obtained. Therefore, in the related art, it is a problem that the user can not obtain the desired information if the user forgets the attached information of a favorite musical work issued together with the musical work when the user performs a search operation. It is also considered a case in which a user carries a terminal device to search for a music database at any time and performs a search operation through the terminal device when a favorite musical work is issued to the user. However, it is very uncomfortable to load the terminal device for search all the time. In addition, a case frequently occurs in which a user begins to listen to a musical work in the middle of it and the musical work likes it. In a case of this type, the user can not know the information attached to the musical work, and therefore there is a problem when the user is about to carry out the search operation using the terminal device for search, the user can not know what to enter as a password. In addition, in the case of a digital broadcast, it can be considered that the attached information is superimposed on the musical data issued. With this operation, the user can obtain the information about the musical work issued as digital data. However, in this case, there is a problem in the sense that it is necessary to create and superimpose an appended information for each musical data to be transmitted on one side of the sending station, and therefore a significant load is imposed on the sending station side. There is also a problem on the user side insofar as it is necessary to prepare a receiving device designed to collect the attached information superimposed in this way. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a search system, a search device and method, and an input device and method that can carry out a necessary search operation even when a user does not know a correct key when looking for a broadcast content. In order to solve the above problem, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a search system for searching an emitted content is characterized in that it comprises: an input device that includes a storage means for storing a time information that represents at least one emission time by a predetermined operation, and a communication means for transmitting the time information stored in the storage medium out; and a search device that includes an accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and the time of emission of the content while associating the information and the time of emission between them, and a means of searching to receive the time information transmitted by the means of communication, and search information representing the accumulated content in the accumulation medium based on the time information received in this way. Furthermore, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a search device for searching an emitted content is characterized in that it comprises: an accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and a time of emission of the content in association among them; and a search means for searching the information that represents the accumulated content in the accumulation means based on at least the time information that is recorded from an input device and that represents the time in which the content is issued . In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an input device equipped with an accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and time of emission of the content in association with each other and entering time information to a search device for looking for information that represents a cumulative content in the accumulation medium based on the time information in which the content is issued, characterized in that it comprises: a storage means for storing at least the time information that represents the time of emission of content by means of a predetermined operation; and a communication means for transmitting out the time information stored in the storage medium. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an input device equipped with accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and time of emission of the content in association with each other and providing the time information to a search device for looking for information that represents an accumulated content in the accumulation medium based on the time information in which the content is issued, characterized in that it comprises: a counter that is operated by means of a predetermined clock, a storage medium for storing through a predetermined operation at least the counting value of the counting at the time when the content is emitted, and a communication means for transmitting out the counting value stored in the storage medium.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a search method for searching for an emitted content is characterized in that it comprises: a step of accumulation of information representing a content and a time of emission of the content in association between them in a medium of accumulation; a storage step of at least one time information representing a time of content issuance in a storage medium by means of a predetermined operation; a communication step for transmitting forcefully the time information stored in the storage medium; and a step of searching for reception of the time information transmitted by the communication step and the search for the information representing the accumulated content in the accumulation means based on the time information received in this way.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a search method for searching an emitted content is characterized in that it comprises: a step of accumulation of information representing a content and a time of emission of the content in association with each other in an accumulation means; a storage step of at least one time information representing a time of content issuance in a storage medium by means of a predetermined operation; a communication step for transmitting out a time information stored in the storage medium; and a search step for receiving the time information transmitted by the communication step, and the search for the information representing the accumulated content in the accumulation means based on the time information received in this way. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an input method that includes an accumulation means to cumulate there the information representing a content and a time of emission of the content in association between them, and the sending of time information to a search device for searching information that represents the accumulated content in the accumulation means based on the time information that represents the time of content emission, characterized in that it comprises a storage step of at least one time information that represents the time of transmission of content in a storage medium by means of a predetermined operation, and a transmission step of transmission out of the time information stored in the storage medium. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an introduction method that includes an accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and time of emission of the content in association with each other and with which based on the time information on the issuing a content, the information corresponding to the time is sent to a search device to search for information that represents a content accumulated in the accumulation means, it is characterized in that it comprises a counter operated with a predetermined clock, a storage step in the storage means of at least one count value of the counter at the time at which a content is emitted, through a predetermined operation, and a communication step to transmit out the counting value stored in the storage weight. In accordance with what has been described above, according to the present invention, the time information in which the content is broadcast, which is stored in the input device, is transmitted to the search device through the communication means, and the information that represents the content that is accumulated in the accumulation medium is association with the time of emission of the content is searched in the search device, in such a way that the information that represents the content can be obtained through the search based on to the time information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an information search system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the construction of a data search system of a musical work according to the first modality; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a list of touched pieces; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a support terminal, ie a bookmark according to the first embodiment; Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the book marker construction according to the first embodiment; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the time information stored in a bookmark memory of the book; Figure 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction of a gate device; Figure 8 shows an example of a user display device and a register box of the bookmark of the user owned in the gate device; Figure 9 is an example flow chart showing the content search processing of the present invention; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display box of the gate device according to the first embodiment; Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction of a book marker installed in a radio receiver according to a second embodiment; Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the construction of a search system according to a second embodiment; Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display box of the gate device according to the second embodiment; Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the construction of a search system in accordance with a modification of the second mode; Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction in which a radio receiver is installed in a personal computer; and Figure 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction of a detection circuit to detect the electric wave corresponding to a receiving frequency of a receiver. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the summary of the invention will be described. Figure 1 schematically shows an information search system of the present invention. The system comprises two databases 1 and 2, a search engine 3 for carrying out a search operation in these databases 1 and 2, and a support terminal 4 for supplying support in a search condition to a user . In the database 1, a relevant information is accumulated for the means of issuing the contents that are broadcast by the broadcasting means, such as, for example, radio broadcasting or the like. For example, the titles of the musical works broadcast by the radio stations, the information of the time of emission of the musical works and the information of the broadcasting station are accumulated in association among them in the database 1. It is evident that can accumulate information about content of broadcast media other than the radio broadcast in database 1, or the contents are not limited to information about the musical pieces, but can be information about commercial items. In the following description, the broadcast medium is considered to be a radio broadcast and the content supplied from the broadcast medium is a piece of music. In the database 2, information about the content to be accumulated in the database 1 is accumulated. For example, when the content is a piece of music broadcast by the broadcast medium, information about the content itself is accumulated as for example the title of an album (CD) where the piece of music is recorded, information about the artist, a sales agency, a sale date, etc., in association with the title of the piece of music. In addition, information about the client in this system can be accumulated in the database. A customer ID information based on identification information inherent to the assistance terminal 4 described below and other information about the customers are accumulated in the database 2. The search engine 3 searches for information accumulated in the database based on a search condition indicated by a user. The engine described herein refers to an assembly for supplying specific functions, and the search engine 3 provides a predetermined search function to the user. For example, when the user likes a piece of music broadcast from a radio, the user indicates the location information 5, station information 6 and time information 7 as a search condition to the search engine 3 if the user knows the station and the place where a piece of music is broadcast, and a broadcast time. The search engine 3 searches the database 1 based on the search condition established in this way, and provides the title of the piece of music as a result of the search. The database 2 is searched while the title of the piece of music is set as the search condition and, for example, the title of an album in which the piece of music is recorded, information about the agency is provided. of sale and album artists, etc. The result of the search of the database 2 is returned to the user. There is a case in which a user does not know the information 5, 6 and 7 mentioned above as a search condition or the information is inaccurate even when the user is listening to a broadcast and wants to search for a preferred piece of music. In the present invention, the user possesses the assistance terminal 4 to obtain the time information 7 in advance. In addition, the location information 5 and the broadcast station information 6 corresponding to the user are recorded as client information in the database 2 in advance. That is, when the user likes a piece of music broadcast, the user operates the assistance terminal 4 and stores the time information 7 'at this time in the assistance terminal 4. Subsequently, based on the time information 7 'stored in the assistance terminal 4, the user instructs the search engine 3 to carry out the search operation. The search engine 3 searches the database 1 using as search condition the time information 7 'and the location information 5 and the issuance information 6 of the user that are registered beforehand in the database 2. The database 2 is searched based on the title of the piece of music obtained as a result of the search. The result of the search is returned to the user as a candidate of information desired by the user. In accordance with what has been described above, by using the system according to the present invention, the user can operate the assistance terminal 4 to store the time information 7 'in the assistance terminal 4 in order to obtain the desired information by the user when the user likes a piece of music broadcast. Next, a first embodiment according to the present invention will be described. Figure 2 shows an example of the construction of a music piece data search system according to the first embodiment. In Figure 2, the common parts illustrated in Figure 1 are represented by means of the same reference numbers, and the detailed description of them, these common parts are omitted. A bookmark search engine 10 is constructed by the database 1, the database 2 and the search engine 3. The bookmark search engine 10 is connected to another site (not illustrated) to through a communication line such as Internet or similar. The site refers to a place where information open to the public on the network is placed, and the bookmark search engine 10 of the same is also a site. For example, the bookmark search engine 10 is connected to a database (not illustrated) as another site. Broadcast station 12 is a radio broadcasting station, for example, and broadcasts music pieces as content based on a playlist prepared in advance. The list of played pieces can be prepared after the broadcast. It is evident that the content broadcast does not have to be musical pieces but can also be an article or another type of information. In addition, the sending station is not limited to a radio station, but can be a television station or a CATV (cable television) station that carries out a television broadcast in radio or cable mode, a cable broadcast station for broadcasting mainly pieces of music in a cable mode or the like. The bookmark search engine 10 and the transmitting station 10 are again connected to each other by a communication line such as the Internet or the like. The touched-up parts list described above is transmitted from a sending station 12 to the book mark search engine 10. In the book mark search engine 10, the touched parts list received in this way is accumulated in the database 1. Figure 3 shows an example of the list of works played. In the case of figure 3, with a content, that is to say, the music corresponding to a piece of music emitted is associated with the name of the broadcast station 12 from which the content is broadcast (station name), the emission area of the transmitting station 12 (area) a start time of emission (start time) of the content (piece of music), a time of end of broadcast (end time) of the content and the name of the content (content). The list of works played to be accumulated in the database 1 is not necessarily transmitted by the broadcasting station 12 through which the content is actually transmitted. For example, a list of touched pieces that is manually prepared by picking up the emitted information can be supplied to the database 1 through a predetermined storage medium and accumulated there. In addition, a list of touched pieces can be prepared through a different system of the issuing station system 12 for transmission to the book mark search engine 1.0. Lists of pieces played from several different transmitting stations 12 can be accumulated in the database 1 in such a way that the respective sending stations 12 can be identified. The book mark search engine 10 and the gate device 11 are interactively connected to each other through the communication line 8 such as the Internet or the like. In accordance with what is described in more detail below, the gate device 11 is a personal computer as for example. It interacts interactively with the bookmark engine of book 10, while communicating with the user-owned assistance terminal 4. The gate device 11 is not limited to personal computers. For example, a device provided for connecting a television receiver and a digital network can be used as a gate device 11, for example. In another case, IRD (Integrated Decoder Receiver) which serves as a digital emission receiver as a gate device 11 may be employed. Figure 4 shows an example of the appearance of an assistance terminal 4 according to the first embodiment. In the following description, the assistance terminal 4 is known as a bookmark 4. The bookmark 4 has, for example, an input unit 20 comprising a button, and a display unit 21 in which the display is displayed. current time. In addition, it is provided with a connector 22 which serves as an electrical connection point when a communication is carried out with the gate device 11 described above.

The bookmark 4 has a simple construction in accordance with what is described below, and can be housed in a compact frame, such as that used as a key ring. The bookmark 4 is not limited to the previous case and can be installed in several other electronic equipment. For example, in accordance with what is described below, the bookmark 4 can be incorporated into a radio receiver. It can be mounted in a car stereo system. Obviously a device in which book marker 4 is installed is not limited to electronic equipment. The bookmark of book 4 is preferably installed on something used while moving one or else portable. Figure 5 shows an example of the construction of book marker 4 in accordance with the first embodiment. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 25 has a memory, a bus, a predetermined interface etc. A CPU 25 is connected to a button 20, a display unit 21, a memory 26, a timer 28 and an interface 29. The timer 28 is designed to provide the current time, and can be corrected by the control of the CPU 25. The display unit 21 comprises, for example, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and the display is controlled by the CPU 25. The supply of time information from the timer 28 is provided to the display unit 21 through the CPU 25 and is displayed. The display unit 21 can be omitted. An operation by the user of the button 20 is detected by the CPU 25, and the time information at this time is stored in the memory 26 based on the output of the timer 28. As shown in Figure 6, a plurality of time information may be stored in the memory 26. For example, symbols based on serial numbers are provided to the respective time information to discriminate the time information between them. A given ID 267 stored in a predetermined area of memory 26 is a unique ID that can be specified by each individual bookmark 4. The interface 29 controls the communication with the outside, i.e., the gateway device 11 through the confector 22. No specific limitation is imposed on the interface standards of the interface 20 when communication with the gateway device 11 is carried out. For example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) may be used as interface standards for communication between the bookmark of book 4 and the gateway device 11. In addition, the interface standards defined in IEEE-1394 can be used. In addition, RS-232C can be used as the interface standards for this communication. The communication is not limited to wired communication, and the communication between the bookmark 4 and the gate device 11 can be carried out with infrared signals by using the interface standards based on IrDA (Infrared Data Association). ). In this case, the connector 22 and the interface 29 are designed to have a function of transmitting / receiving infrared signals. The bookmark 4 can be constructed as an IC card obtained by integrating an integrated circuit and means of communication into a card, or a PC card defined by PCMCIA (International Association of Personal Computer Memory Card) and JEIDA ( Association for the Development of the Japanese Electronic Industry). When the bookmark 4 is in the form of an IC card, the interface standards that are fitted with the IC card in question are used as the interface 29. When the bookmark 4 is constructed as a PC card, a connector formed with a PC card is provided to the gate device 11, for example. The communication between the book marker 4 and the gate device 11 can be carried out by directly mounting the book marker 4 as the PC card in the connector formed with the PC card. The terminal ID 27 and the time information stored in the memory 26 can be read from the memory 26 and provided through the interface 29 to the outside based on a CPU instruction 25. Figure 7 shows an example of the construction of the gate device 11. As described above, a general personal computer can be used as the gate device 11. FIG. 7 shows a case in which a general personal computer is used as the gate device 11. A CPU 31 , ROM (Read Only Memory) 32, RAM (Random Access Memory) 33, a display control circuit 34 and a storage medium, for example, a hard disk 36 are connected to a bus 30. An input means 91 comprising, for example, a keyboard and a prescribed type of pointing device that can provide the control signal based on the operation of the user is also connected to the bus 30. The CPU 25 operates on the basis of a program at stored in ROM 32 or a hard disk 36, and carries out a predetermined processing based on the operation of the input means 91 by the user. A RAM 33 is used, for example, as a working memory for the CPU 31. The display control signal output of the CPU 25 is supplied to a display control circuit 34 for carrying out a display operation based on the display control signal in a display device 35. In addition, an interface 37 for carrying out communication with the book marker 4 is connected to the bus 30.

As interface 37 something is used conforming to the interface standards that support the bookmark 4 interface 29, such as USB, IEEE-1394, RS-232C, IrDA, etc. A communication means 38 for carrying out the communication with the book mark search engine 10 via the communication line 8 is also connected to the bus 30. The communication means 38 is a modem or something similar, and is connected to a public telephone line as the communication line 8. The gateway device 11 is connected to the Internet through the public telephone line, for example, by the use of a modem, and can carry out an interactive communication with the Book 10 book search engine through the Internet. A sound processing means 39 connected to the bus 30 converts digital audio data supplied via the bus 30 to analog audio signals. The analog audio signals from the sound processing means 39 are reproduced by a speaker 90. As described above, it is necessary for the user to record the user information itself in the customer database 2 of the brand search engine of Book 10 in advance. The record can be checked by the use of a gate device 11. First, the user connects book marker 4 to a gate device 11 through a prescribed interface. The user then operates the gate device 11 to register the user and the bookmark 4 owned by the user. Figure 8 shows an example of a display in a record box 40 of the display 35 when the user and the bookmark 4 owned by the user are recorded. The name of the user is entered in the column "name" 41. The terminal ID 27 of the bookmark 4 owned by the user is registered in a column "bookmark ID" 42. The record of the terminal ID 27 described above is carried out by communication through the gate device 11 and the book marker 4. That is, a read request of the terminal ID 27 is transmitted from the gate device 11 to the book marker 4. Under control of CPU 25 based on this request, terminal ID 27 is read from memory 26 in the bookmark. The terminal ID 27 read in this way is transmitted to the gate device 11. In the gate device 11, the terminal UID 27 received in this way is displayed in the "book marker" ID column 42 of the device. display 35, and is also stored in RAM 33. In addition, a postal code and a telephone number for long distance call from a place when the user receives are recorded in a "ZIP code" column 43 and a "telephone number". for long distance »column 44, respectively. An area where the user acts is shown schematically based on the content recorded in columns 43 and 44. Regarding the area of user activity, not only the postal code and the telephone number for long distance, but also information which represents a geographical area can be introduced. An area name established independently in advance can be registered. The information to specify a radio station frequently selected by the user is recorded in a column "radio station" 45. In this case, the name of the radio station is registered. However, it is not limited to the name of the radio station, but you can also enter the frequency band of a radio broadcast. A user's credit card number or cash card number is recorded in a column "card number" 46. The user's address is accurately recorded in a "address" column 47. These are information used when a service Using bookmark 4 is followed by a collection process. Each information record in columns 41 to 47 in accordance with what is described above is stored in RAM 33. Based on a prescribed operation, it is read from RAM 33, and transmitted to bookmark search engine 10 by means of communication 38. At this time, it is more preferable that each information to be transmitted is encoded by means of a prescribed method. The timer 28 is corrected in the bookmark 4. For example, when the bookmark of the book 4 and the gateway device 11 are connected to each other to register the terminal ID 27, the interactive communication is carried out between the bookmark of the book. book 4 and the gate device 11, the timer 28 of the marker book 4 can be corrected by using the time information provided from the timer (not shown) owned by the gate device 11. The same processing can be carried out performed by a unidirectional communication from the bookmark 4 to the gate device 11. The bookmark 4 and the gate device 11 are connected to each other to transmit the terminal I I from the book marker 4 to the gate device 11. In addition, the time information based on the timer 28 is transmitted from book marker 4 to the device. gateway 11. On the side of the gate device 11, the transmitted time information and the time information represented by the timer (not shown) owned by the gate device 11 can be compared with each other in order to calculate the correct time by using the difference between them. In these cases, it is required that the time information based on the timer (not shown) of the gate device 11 be corrected at a correct time by the use of some method. In the above description, the bookmark 4 has a timer. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, a counter that operates with a predetermined period of clocks may be illustrated with the bookmark 4 for the purpose of determining the time information that represents the time of pressing the button 20 based on the count value of the counter. For example, the counting value with the user operates button 20 is stored in memory 26. When book marker 4 is connected to gate device 11 and the counting value stored in memory 26 is transmitted to the device. gate 11, the counting value in the transmission time is transmitted to the gate device 11 together with the counting value read from the memory 26. In addition, the gate device 11 corrects the timer (not illustrated) using a method default to get a master clock. For example, the gate device 11 communicates the bookmark search engine 10 through the communication line 8 via the communication means 28 to obtain time information, and corrects the timer of the gate device 11 based on the time information. In addition, the gate device 11 may be equipped with a predetermined restriction means for receiving a time information contained in a television broadcast or radio station and corrects the timer of the gate device 11 based on the received time information of this form. In the gate device 11, the differential counting value is calculated between the counting value that is obtained when the user presses the button 20 and transmitted from the book marker 4 and the counting value when the transmission of the book marker 4 is carried out. If a counting period of the bookmark counter 4 is known in advance, based on the timer of the gate device 11 to generate the master clock, the timer is delayed by the time corresponding to the value of differential counting in relation to the time in which the bookmark 4 transmission is carried out, thus accurately determining the time in which the user presses the button 20 in the book marker 4 to store the count value in the memory 26. If this is used method, it is unnecessary to provide the display unit 21 for displaying the clock (timer 28) and the time in the bookmark 4. In addition, if this method is employed it is unnecessary to correct the timer 28 of the bookmark 4. For example, the The count value of the bookmark counter 4 is divided into the gate device after a period with time after a bookmark 4 is connected to a gate device 11, thus allowing the application of this method even when the Counter period of bookmark 4 is not clear. In the above description, the counter carries out its counting operation with a predetermined period of clocks. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode, and the counter can operate with clocks generated in any timing to the extent that the count value and the time from the counting start time are associated with each other. For example, the counter can be operated with clocks based on a sequence M generated by the use of a change register and an exclusive OR circuit. Alternatively, the period of the clocks can be varied periodically to operate the counter. Obviously, the side of the gate device 11 is required to know the type of counter clocks owned by the book marker 4. The use of these clocks to operate the counter can avoid an incorrect manufacture or use of the book marker 4. In the In the above description, the time in which the button 20 is compressed in the book marker 4 is determined in the gate device 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, in the gate device 11, time information is determined which represents the time in which the button 20 is pushed into the bookmark 4, and time information representing the time in which the transmission of the information of time from the bookmark 4 to the gate device 11 is carried out. The time information is transmitted to the search engine 10, and the precise time in which the button 20 is pushed can be determined based on the master clock of the search engine 10. Next, the content search process will be described by the system illustrated in Figure 2 with reference to the flow chart of Figure 9. First, in the first step S10, the terminal ID 27 of the bookmark 4 owned by the user is registered in the bookmark search engine 10 in accordance with the procedure described above. The user can store the time information by using the bookmark 4 which has the terminal ID 27 registered there at any place, for example, on the street or in a vehicle. For example, if a user likes a piece of music reproduced from a radio mounted on a car, the user presses the button 20 of bookmark 4 in this place. The time information when the button 20 is pressed is stored in the memory 26 of the book marker 4 (step Sil). Time information may be stored on various pieces of music within the range of the storage capacity of the memory 26 contained in book marking 4 (step S2). In step S13, the bookmark 4 and the gateway device 11 (abbreviated as G, D in Figure 9) are connected to each other. In the next step S14, the time information stored in the memory 26 of the book marker 4 is read together with the terminal ID 27, and transmitted to the gate device 11 through the interface prescribed above. The processing of step S14 can be set to start automatically when the bookmark 4 and the gate device 11 are connected to each other in step S13. In the next step S15, the time information and the terminal ID 27 that are transmitted from the bookmark 4 to the gate device 11 are transmitted from the gate device 11 to the bookmark search engine 10 through the communication line. In step SI 6, in the book search engine 10, the information search is carried out based on the time information to the terminal ID transmitted from the gate device 11. The time information is used as a search condition. For example, if the user wishes to know music piece information, the database 1 is searched based on the time information, and the title of each piece of music broadcast in each of the base stations at the moment represented by the time information is produced based on the list of pieces played by each emitting station accumulated in the database 1. The search condition is more limited by using the user registration information in the previous step SIO when the The search is carried out in step SI 6. The search of the database is carried out based on the terminal ID 27 transmitted from the gate device 11, and the registration information in the user that is registered as Terminal ID 27 is provided. This registration information is also used as a search condition. For example, when the list of pieces played is searched in database 1, only the list of pieces played from a specific broadcast station is the object of the search operation by using the broadcast station information introduced in the column ? radio station "45 when the terminal ID 27 is registered in the bookmark search engine 10 in the previous step SIO.

In accordance with what is described above, when the list of touched pieces of the sending station is searched (step S16), the result of the search is returned to the user. That is, the result of the search in the book mark search engine 10 is transmitted to the gate device 11. In the gate device 11 the result of the transmitted search is displayed in the display box, an example of which it will be described below, and it is checked whether the information desired by the user is searched or not (step S18). If a desired information per user is not found in the search result, the fact is transmitted from the gate device 11 to the bookmark search engine 10, and in step S19 the search condition is altered to carry out the search operation again. For example, based on the information provided in the column (postal code ") 43 and in column 44" telephone number for collection ", the objective of the sending station as a search condition is extended to all broadcasting stations that can be received within the range defined by this information. The object of the sending station as a search condition is not limited to this, and may be extended to an area adjacent to the area registered in columns 43 and 44. In the new search operation of step S19, the search condition may be set automatically on the bookmark search engine side 10. For example, through the processing of the SIO step, the registration content registered by the user is applied step by step to the search condition. The search condition in the new search operation can be established directly by the user. A new condition is entered into the gate device 11 by the user. The search condition registered in this way is transmitted from gate device 11 to the bookmark search engine 10. When the information desired by the user is searched, the information sought is transmitted from the search engine of book mark 10 to gate device 11 in step S20. For example, in the case in which the information of a piece of music is searched, the audio data of the sought-after piece of music is transmitted from the book mark search engine 10 to the gate 11 device. audio data of the piece of music may be accumulated in the database 2. Alternatively, the other side mutually connected through the Internet may be required to transmit the audio data of one piece of music from the other site. The user can store the audio data transmitted in this way on the hard disk 36 of the gate device 11, for example, and reproduce the audio data by a sound processing means 39 and the horn 90. If the user likes it the music work of the audio data, the user can communicate with the book mark search engine 10 by using the gate 11 device and request the acquisition of an album (CD or similar) where the piece is registered of music. Fig. 10 shows an example of the display box of the gate device in step S18 and subsequent steps. In the upper portion of the table, the name of the user 51, the terminal ID 27 and the area 52 of the user's registration information are presented. As for area 52, the entry column is omitted from the registration box of figure 8 described above. In this case, for example, four broadcasting stations of 3 radio stations WAAAA ", WBBBB" and * CCCC "and one CATV (Cable TV) broadcasting station 'DDD" are registered. Based on the time information 53 recorded in the book marker 4, the search results at the 4 broadcast stations in the bookmark search engine 10 are displayed as displays 54, 55, 56 and 57, respectively. In this case, the music pieces are broadcasted at the broadcast stations * AAAA ", * BBBB" and N "DDD" at the time shown in the weather information 53. On the other hand, a commercial is broadcast at the XCCC broadcast station " Exemplifying the visualization 54 indicating the station in zone 'AAAA', the image of a CD lining 54A is displayed in which the music piece emitted at the time corresponding to the time information 53 by the broadcasting station 'AAAA is registered. "below the name of the transmitting station and the frequency band information of the broadcast, the title of the music piece and the name of the singer 54A are displayed below the image of the lining 54A, and the sale price 54C is presented. of the CD in question. Under the sale price 54C additional buttons 58, 59 and 60 are placed which are common to the respective broadcast stations that emit the music pieces and can be operated visually by a user interface of the gate device 11. By altering the button 58, the audio data of the music piece in question is transmitted from the bookmark search engine 10 to the gateway device 11 passed through the signal processing of the sound processor 39 and then reproduced by the speaker 90. When the button 58 is operated, the audio data transmitted in this way is not stored in the prescribed storage device, for example the hard disk 36. The user can select a desired piece of music from pieces of music emitted. from the respective registered broadcasting stations based on the lining image 54A, the title of the music piece, the name the singer 54B and the audio data of the piece of music. The button 59 is used when the user wishes to purchase the CD in which the piece of music in question is recorded. The button 60 is used when the user wishes to download the audio data of the piece of music in question and stores the data on the hard disk 36. When the CD is acquired or when the piece of music is downloaded by the buttons 59 and 60, the payment must be paid by means of a credit card or a cash card, for example, based on the introduction of the number of column 46 'card number' of figure 8. In the case of the figure 10, buttons 58, 59 and 60 are not displayed for commercial broadcasting of the broadcasting station 'CCCC' however, a button may be separately provided to acquire a displayed item. When the number of registered broadcasting stations is too large and therefore can not be displayed in frame 50 all at once, the information of the other registered broadcasting stations can be viewed by operating the button 61. The above description is made by taking Note that bookmark 4 is a dedicated device for storing time information, however, it is not limited to this case. For example, it is easy for the bookmark 4 to function as portable communication equipment, such as a cell phone, PHS (Personal Handphone System) or the like. The button 20 may be placed together with the dialing keys or the like in such a device to use a telephone number registered in the apparatus as a terminal ID 27. The function of the button 20 may be implemented by a prescribed combination of the dialing keys. In the same way, it is easy to install bookmark function 4 in a GPS receiver (Global Positioning System). When the bookmark function 4 is installed in a device designed to detect the position, the position of the user may be limited, and therefore the sending stations may be limited to carry out a more precise search operation. As a modification of the first mode, the button 20 can be implemented in a programmatic style in the gate device 11. For example, the function of the button 20 for storing the time information is assigned to a predetermined key of the gate device 11. or a predetermined position of the display box. The function of the button 20 can be assigned to a predetermined icon displayed in the display box. The time information is stored by operating an icon having the function of the button 20 with a pointing device such as a mouse or the like. The terminal ID 27 is stored in a predetermined area of a ROM 32, RAM 33 or the hard disk 36 of the gate device 11. When the user operates the icon or the like which is assigned as the button 20 in the gate device 11, the time information that represents the time in which the operation is carried out is stored in a predetermined area of RAM 33 or hard disk 36. The time information stored in this way is read, and both the time information and the terminal ID 27 are transmitted to the brand search engine. of book 10 through the communication line 8. In the bookmark search engine of book 10, the search operation is carried out based on the information transmitted in this way, and the result of the search is transmitted to starting from the book mark search engine 10 to the composite device 11 through the communication line 8. When the search operation is carried out in the bookmark search engine 10 a Single terminal ID 27 from each bookmark 4 to bookmark search engine 10. Accordingly, by using the terminal ID 27, it is known how many people request and download each specific piece of music, and can be used for market research, etc. Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment mentioned above, the bookmark 4 is designed in such a simple construction that the time information is stored there by pressing the button 20. In the second mode, the bookmark 4 is installed in a radio receiver. Figure 11 shows an example of the construction of the book marker installed in a radio receiver 70 according to the second embodiment. In Figure 11, the common parts with the book marker 4 illustrated in Figure 5 are represented by the same reference numerals and a detailed description of them is omitted. An electrical wave received by an antenna 71 is supplied to a tuner 72. In the tuner 72, a predetermined frequency band is selected based on the operation of the user to select the emission of a desired broadcasting station. The signal selected in this way is subjected to predetermined processing such as detection, demodulation and other processing to be converted into an audio signal. The audio signal is supplied to a signal processing circuit 73 which must be subjected to amplification processing, etc. And then reproduced by a speaker 74.

On the other hand, the station selection information in the tuner 72 is supplied to a CPU 25. For example, the frequency band information when a base station is selected is supplied to the CPU 25. In the CPU 25, the information time is stored in the memory 26 when the button 20 is pressed, and also the station selection information supplied in this way is stored in the memory 26 in association with the stored time information as well. As in the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the terminal ID 27 is stored in a predetermined area of the memo 26 in advance. The station selection information, the time information and the terminal ID 27 stored in the memory 26 are read by the CPU 25, and sent out through the interface 29. At this time, a table representing the relationship corresponding between the frequency band and the name of the transmitting station which is created in advance is stored in the memory 26. The supplied frequency band information can be converted into the name of the sending station with reference to the table and stored in the memory 26. The tuner 72 can be designed in such a way that frequency bands of several transmitting stations are established in advance and the frequency bands of these several transmitting stations are switched in the reception time, which allows the data of The name of the transmitting station can be supplied directly from the tuner 72 to the CPU 25. Figure 12 shows an example of the construction of the search system in accordance with the second modality. In Figure 12, the parts common to the search system of Figure 2 are represented by the same reference numbers, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. At the radio receiver 70, a transmitting station is selected by the user to select a specific frequency band, and the electrical wave emitted from the sending station 12 is received. A reproduction sound received in this way is sent from the speaker 74. For example, when a preferred piece of music is broadcast, the user presses the button 20. The time information representing the time in which the music is pressed button 20 is stored in memory 26, and also station selection information of radio receiver 70 is stored in memory 26 which is associated with the time information. The radio receiver 70 and the gate device 11 are connected to each other through a specific interface. As in the case of the first mode, the connection can be carried out by using USB, IEEE-1394, RS-232C and IrDA as the interface standards.

As in the case of the embodiment of Figure 2, a programmatic 75 for controlling the communication between the radio receiver 70 and the bookmark search engine 10 and the display of the display box described below is mounted on the display device. gate 11. The time information, the station selection information, and the end ID 27 that are stored in the memory 26 of the radio receiver 70 through the specific interface in the gate device 11. In addition, the time of information, the station selection information and the terminal ID 27 are supplied from the gate device 11 through the communication line 8 to the bookmark search engine 10. In the brand search engine of book 10, the station selection information is used as the search condition together with the time information and the terminal ID 27. Therefore, in the bus engine remains of book 10, both the broadcast time and the selected broadcast station can be specified, in such a way that the search operation can be carried out quickly with greater precision. The result of the search is transmitted from the bookmark search engine 10 through the communication line 8 in the gate device 11 to be subjected to a predetermined processing, and then it is moved in the display device of the gate device 11. FIG. 13 shows an example of a display of the search result in the display means of the gate device 11. Since the station selection information is content in the search condition, an emission received by the radio receiver at any time can be uniquely specified. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 13, the time information 81 A, 81 B, 81 C and 81 D and search results 82 A, 82 B, 82 C and 82 D are displayed in a correspondence of 1 to 1, respectively. The user can obtain his substantially preferred information. Figure 14 shows an example of the construction of a search system in accordance with a modification of the second mode. In this modification, a radio receiver 100 is equipped with the function of the book marker 4 to obtain a reception time and a broadcast station information, and also the programmatic 75 mounted on the gate device 11 is mounted on the receiver radio 100. In modifying the second mode as shown in FIG. 14, the radio receiver 100 is equipped with the predetermined programmatic 75 and the memory 26 wherein the time information, the station information and the ID of terminal (not illustrated) are stored. The processing of your system is substantially identical to the processing of the first modality described with reference to Figure 9. That is, the user receives a radio emission from a transmitting station 12 through the radio receiver 100, and reproduces the broadcast received in this way through a speaker 111. The user hears the sound played, and press the button 20 if the user likes a piece of music issued. When the button 20 is pressed, the time information representing the time in which the button 20 is pressed and the information of the sending station such as for example the frequency band of the received emission, etc., are stored in the memory 26 in the radio receiver 100. The radio receiver 100 and the bookmark search engine 10 are connected to each other through a specific communication line 8 such as the Internet or the like. Through communication through the communication line 8, the time information, the sending station information and the terminal ID 27 stored in the memory 26 of the radio receiver 100 are transmitted to the book mark search engine 10. In the book mark search engine 10, the information search operation is carried out based on the time information, the transmit station information and the terminal ID 27 transmitted in this way and the search result it is transmitted to the radio receiver 100 through the communication line 8. In the radio receiver 100, the result of the search transmitted in this way is displayed in a display box similar to that of figure 13 in the display medium. (not illustrated). The user can download audio data or request the acquisition of an article through the communication line 8 carrying out an operation based on the display box. The radio receiver 100 according to the modification of the second embodiment can be designed in the same construction as the radio receiver 70 of the second embodiment described above. In this case, the communication between the radio receiver 70 and the book search engine 10 is carried out using the interface 29. The result of the search of the bookmark search engine 10 is easily displayed in the unit. display 21. A response to the search result displayed on the display unit 21 may be transmitted to the book mark search mode 10 by the use of an input means, (not shown). In an example illustrated in figure 15, the radio receiver 100 can be designed by adding a general personal computer with a synchronization unit 109 designed to receive radio broadcasts. The tuner unit 109 selects the frequency band of a desired transmitting station from the electrical wave received by the antenna 114, carries out a predetermined processing, for example the detection of a selected electrical wave per station, demodulation, etc. , and then send an audio signal. The audio signal from the synchronizer unit 109 is amplified by an amplifier 110, for example, and then reproduced by a speaker 111. The synchronizer unit 109 is connected to a bus 112. The station selection information, by In the synchronization unit 109, for example, it is supplied via a bus 112 to the CPU 101, etc., in accordance with what is described below. The CPU 101, the ROM 102 and the RAM 103 are connected to the bus 102. In the ROM 102, the terminal ID 27 and a predetermined program are stored in advance. In the RAM 103, time information representing the pressing time of the button 20 is stored as well as information of the transmitting station supplied from the tuning unit 109 via the bus 112. A display control circuit 104, a storage medium 106, an input interface 107 and a communication interface 108 are additionally connected to the bus 112. The display circuit 104 is connected to a display 105 comprising LCD to drive the display 105 based on a display control signal supplied to starting from a CPU 101 through the bus 112, thus carrying out a specific display operation. The storage medium 106 is an auxiliary storage medium in which predetermined data and programs are stored, and may comprise a semiconductor memory or a hard disk. However, it is not limited to these elements, and something freely releasable mounted on the storage means 106 can be employed. The communication means 108 comprises a modem, for example and controls the communication on the communication line 8. The interface of input 107 serves as an interface between a prescribed input device and the CPU 101. A keyboard 113 and a pointing device such as a cushion device or the like (not shown) are connected to the input interface 107, and the button 20 it is also connected to the input interface 107. The display 105 can be designed to have a touch panel structure for supplying the input of the touch panel to the input interface 107. The communication interface 108 serves as an interface with the motor of Book 10 Book Search, which comprises the Internet. Further, in the above system the time information and the broadcast station information stored in the memory 26 of the bookmark 26 are sent through the interface 29 to the gate device 11 or to the bookmark search engine 10. which is located abroad. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the bookmark 4 may be equipped with a communication means for communicating with another bookmark 4 'to transmit the time information and the broadcast station information stored in the bookmark memo 4 to a bookmark of the bookmark 4. book 4 'of another user. The transmission of the time information and the sending station information to the other bookmark 4 'allows the user of the bookmark 4' to receive this information to search for a content based on the information obtained by another person. A communication based on infrared signals such as IrDA, a communication based on electric wave or a communication based on the direct connection between bookmarks 4 and 4'a through a connector and a cable, etc., can be considered as the means of communication between the marker book 4 and the book marker 4 '. When the book marker 4 and bookmark 4 'are directly connected to each other, a specific interface is provided for each of the bookmarks 4 and 4', so that communication can be carried out through the use of USB, IEEE-1394, RS-232C or similar. In addition, the method of communication is not limited to the aforementioned styles, and the communication between bookmarks 4 and 4 'can be carried out by using other wired or wireless (radio) communication methods. Further, in accordance with the present invention, the bookmark 4 is required to display or store a precise time. For example, the bookmark 4 is equipped with a receiving means for receiving a standard electrical wave in which an information is placed on precise time, and adapted to receive the electric wave periodically. The timer 28 is corrected based on the time information superimposed on the electric wave received in this way, so that accurate time information can be obtained all the time. In Japan, for example, the standard time electric wave (JG2AS) can be used as the standard electric wave which overlaps the precise time. In addition, a television broadcast time or radio broadcast can be used as the standard electric wave. The bookmark 4 can be equipped with a function to detect minute electrical waves corresponding to a frequency that occurs in a radio receiver or television receiver. The electric wave detected in this way is an electrical wave based on a signal generated in a local oscillation circuit of the receiver, for example. When a user watches television or listens to a radio broadcast and likes a piece of emitted music, the user presses the button 20 of a bookmark 4 '' which has the function of detecting minute electric waves in the vicinity of the receiver of television or radio receiver. In a bookmark detection circuit 4 '', the electric wave that occurs in the television receiver or radio receiver is detected at the frequency of the electric wave detected in this way is determined and the frequency information obtained in this way it is stored in the interpoint memory with the time information representing the time in which the button 20 is pressed. Figure 16 shows an example of construction of the marker detection circuit of the book 4". The electric wave received by an antenna 150 is supplied to tuners 151A, 151B and 151C designed to selectively receive electrical waves from specific transmitting stations respectively. The outputs of the tuners 150A, 150B and 150C are detected by detection circuits 152A, 152B and 152C, respectively, and then supplied to a maximum value detection circuit 153. The maximum value detection circuit 153 is constructed by a circuit differential as shown in Figure 16, and provides an output signal from only the channel corresponding to the signal having the maximum level between several signal inputs. The output of the maximum value detecting circuit 153 is supplied to a latch circuit 154. When a button 20 'and interconnected with the button 20 is actuated, the latch circuit 154 engages the output of the maximum value detection circuit 153, and provides the output signal corresponding to the channel from which the signal is sent. The provided signal is decoded by the CPU 25 to be converted into station information, and then stored in the memory 26 together with the time information representing the time in which the button 20 is pressed. The book marker 4 of the present invention can be used in combination with GPS (Global Positioning System). For example, an integrated GP is provided in the bookmark 4, and latitude and longitude information at the time the button 20 is pressed is stored in the memory 26 in association with the time information. The latitude and longitude information stored in this way and the time information are then transmitted to the gate device 11. For example, in a large country such as, for example, the United States of America whose territory is wide in the west-east direction, There are several time zones in the country. In the gate device 11, the time information can be corrected according to the time zone based on the latitude and longitude information transmitted in this way, thus taking the search of the content based on a precise time information all the weather. The area in which the user resides can be specified by using the latitude and longitude information obtained by GPS and therefore the specification of the radio station can be carried out with greater precision. In addition, the user presses the button 20 while chatting or traveling on the road, at a stop, or in a store. The user then transmits the latitude and longitude information and the time information to the gate device 11. If the gate device 11 is equipped in advance with an application to plot on a map in accordance with the weather information and information of the latitude and longitude, the user can know a schematic route along which the user passed, or at what time and in which store the user stopped that day. Providing a database comprising store information in the search engine 10 makes it possible to obtain detailed information about stores in which the user stops. As described above, in accordance with the present invention, pressing the button provided by the bookmark the time at which the button is pressed is stored as time information in the bookmark. On the other hand, the bookmark search engine comprises a database in which a list of pieces played containing the content broadcast from each broadcast station and the time of emission of the content in association between them is accumulated, and another base of data where the content of the relevant information for content is accumulated in association between them. Therefore, there is the fact that even when the user accidentally likes a content, the user simply operates the bookmark button to store the time information, so the user can subsequently search for the content emitted from the engine. bookmark search without taking any notes. Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, a content emitted from a similar radius can be searched later by simply pressing the bookmark button and storing the time information representing the time. Accordingly, there is the effect that the user can easily know the information about the content and therefore the user can easily acquire a relevant article in terms of content. Further, in accordance with the present invention, the search for the content is carried out based on only the time information that is stored with the bookmark by the user. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to transmit information other than the content itself on the sending station side that supplies the content, and consequently the sending station side has little load. The present invention allows its application regardless of whether the broadcast mode is an analog mode or a digital mode. Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, the receiving side simply stores the time information to obtain a desired information and therefore has a very limited load. further, in accordance with the present invention, in the content search operation, the terminal ID inherent to each bookmark is transmitted to the bookmark search engine along with the time information. Therefore, you can easily know how many people requested and acquired specific content.

Claims

CLAIMS A search system to search for a broadcast content, comprising: an input device that includes a storage medium for storing a time information that represents at least one time of content broadcasting through a predetermined operation, and a medium communication to transmit out the time information stored in said storage means; and a search device that includes an accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and the time of emission of the content while the information and the time of emission is associated between them, and a means of searching to receive the transmitted time information. by said means of communication, a search information representing the content accumulated in said means of accumulation based on the time information received in this way.
The search system according to claim 1, wherein said input device further includes a means of storing identification information to store identification information to individually identify said input device.
The search system according to claim 2, wherein said search device further includes a means and accumulation of user information to accumulate the identification information and user information of a user of said input device with the identification information in association between them, and said search means searches for the information representing the content based on the time information transmitted from said means of communication and the identification information transmitted together with the time information from said means of communication .
The search system according to claim 1, further including: a gateway device that performs an interactive communication with said search device to transmit to said search device the information used to search in said search means, since wherein a search result of said search means of said search device is transmitted; and an interface means for connecting said input device and said gate device, wherein the time information is transmitted from said input device through said interface means to said gate device, and transmitted from said gate device. gate device to said search device.
5. The search system according to claim 4, wherein said interface means is a USD-based interface.
The search system according to claim 4, wherein said interface means is a communication interface based on infrared signals.
The search system according to claim 4, wherein said interface means' is an interface based on IEEE-1394.
The search system according to claim 4, wherein said interface means is an interface based on RS-232C.
The search system according to claim 4, wherein when said output device and said gate device are connected to each other by said interface means, the time information is automatically transmitted from said input device through of said interface means to said gate device, and is also transmitted from said gate device to said search device.
The search system according to claim 1, wherein said input device is constructed in the same rack with a receiving device for receiving the broadcast of a content.
The search system according to claim 10, wherein the information of the sending station received by said receiving device is transmitted together with the time information to said search device where the information representing the content accumulated in said means Accumulation is sought based on the station information and the transmitted time information.
12. The search system according to claim 10, wherein said receiving device is a radio receiver.
The search system according to claim 10, wherein said receiving device is a television receiver.
The search system according to claim 10, wherein said receiving device is a digital broadcast receiver.
The search system according to claim 1, wherein said input device is constructed in the same rack with a portable telephone device.
16. The search system according to claim 1, wherein said input device is constituted by programmatic in a computer. .
A search device to search for an emitted content, comprising: a means of accumulation to accumulate information that represents a content and a time of emission of the content in association between them; and a search means for searching the information that represents the accumulated content in said accumulation means based on at least the time information that is recorded from an input device and that represents the time in which the content is emitted .
The search device according to claim 17, wherein said input device further includes a means of storing identification information for storing identification information to individually identify said input device.
The search device according to claim 18, further including a means of accumulating user information to accumulate the identification information to individually identify said input device in user information of a user of said input device provided with the identifying information in association between them, wherein said search means searches for the information representing the content based on the time information recorded by said input device and the identification information of said input device.
20. An input device provided with an accumulation means for accumulating information representing a content and time of editing the content in association with each other and sending a time information to a search device to search for information representing a cumulative content in said accumulation means based on the content emission time information, comprising: a storage means for storing at least the time information representing the time of content issuance by means of a predetermined operation; and a communication means for transmitting out the time information stored in said storage means.
The input device according to claim 20, further including a means of storing identification information for storing an inherent identification information to identify each input device.
22. The input device according to claim 20, further including a means of connection that performs an interactive communication with a search device to search for information that represents a content based on the information of time to transmit information used to search towards said search device, and carries out a communication between said communication means and a gate device to which the result of said search device is transmitted, where the time information is transmitted through said means of interface to said gate device by said communication means, and is also transmitted from said gate device to said search device.
23. The input device according to claim 22, wherein said interface means is a USB-based communication interface.
24. The input device according to claim 22, wherein said interface means is a communication interface based on infrared signals.
25. The input device according to claim 22, wherein said interface means is an interface based on IEEE-1394.
26. The input device according to claim 22, wherein said interface means is an interface based on RS-232C.
27. The input device according to claim 22, wherein when said input device and said gate device are connected by said interface means, the time information is automatically transmitted from said input device through said means of communication. interface to said gate device, and is also transmitted from said gate device to said search device.
28. The input device according to claim 20, wherein said input device is constructed in the same frame with a receiving device for receiving the emission of a content.
29. The input device according to claim 20, wherein said input device is constructed in the same frame with a receiving device for receiving a predetermined electric wave.
30. The input device according to claim 29, wherein said input device receives information from a sending station received from said receiving device and transmits the information from the sending station together with the time information.
31. The input device according to claim 29, wherein said receiving device is a radio receiver.
32. The input device according to claim 29, wherein said receiving device is a television receiver.
33. The input device according to claim 29, wherein said receiving device is a digital broadcast receiver.
34. The input device according to claim 29, wherein said input device is constructed in the same frame as a portable telephone device.
35. The input device according to claim 20, wherein said input device is constructed programmatically in a computer.
36. An input device that includes an accumulation means to accumulate information that represents content and time of emission of the content in association with each other and with which, based on the time information of the emission of a content, the information which corresponds to time is recorded in a search device to search for information that represents a content accumulated in said accumulation means, characterized in that it comprises: a counter that operates with a predetermined clock; a storage means for storing a count value of said counter at the time in which at least one content is emitted, through a predetermined operation; and a communication means for transmitting the counting value stored in said storage medium to the outside.
The input device according to claim 36, further including a means of retrieving identification information to store an inherent identification information to identify an individual input device.
The input device according to claim 36, wherein on the basis of the count value stored in said storage means and the count value at the time of transmission by said communication means, the time information in an objective side of transmission by said means of communication.
The input device according to claim 36, further comprising a connection interface means that performs an interactive communication with a search device to search for information representing a content based on the time information for transmitting information used to search for said search device, and carries out a communication between said communication means and a gate device where the search result of said search device is transmitted, where the counting value is transmitted through said interface means to said gate device by said communication means, the counting value in the transmission time is transmitted to said gate device, a first time information corresponding to the counting value and a second time information corresponding to the counting value at the time of transmission are determined in base to the transmitted counting value and the counting value at the time of transmission in said gate device, and the first time information and the second time information are transmitted from said gate device to said search device.
40. The input device according to claim 39, wherein said interface is a USB-based interface.
41. The input device according to claim 39, wherein said interface means is a communication interface based on an infrared signal.
42. The input device according to claim 39, wherein said interface device is an interface based on IEEE-1394.
43. The input device according to claim 39, wherein said interface means is an interface based on RS-232C.
44. The input device according to claim 39, wherein the counting value and the counting value at the time of transmission are automatically transmitted from said input device through said interface means to said gate device. and they are also transmitted from said gate device to said search device when said search device and said input device are connected to each other by said interface means.
45. The input device according to claim 36, wherein said input device is constructed in the same rack with a receiving device for receiving an emission containing the content.
46. The input device according to claim 36, wherein said input device is constructed in the same frame with a receiving device for receiving a predetermined electric wave.
47. The input device according to claim 46, wherein said input device is supplied with a transmitting station information received from said receiving device and transmits the receiving station information to the outside together with the counting value and the value of counting at the time of transmission.
48. The input device according to claim 46, wherein said receiving device is a radio receiver.
49. The input device according to claim 46, wherein said receiving device is a television receiver.
50. The input device according to claim 46, wherein said receiving device is a digital broadcast receiver.
51. The input device according to claim 46, wherein said input device is constructed in the same frame as a portable telephone device.
52. The input device according to claim 36, wherein said input device is constructed programmatically in a computer.
53. A search method for searching an emitted content, comprising: a step of accumulation of information that represents a content and a time of emission of the content in association between them in an accumulation medium; a storage step of at least one time information representing a time of content issuance in a storage medium by a predetermined operation; a communication step for transmitting the time information stored in said storage means out; and a step of searching for receiving time information transmitted by said communication step, and searching for the information that represents the accumulated content in said accumulation means based on the time information received in this way. A search method for searching an emitted content, comprising: a step of accumulating information that represents a content and a time of emission of the content in association between them in an accumulation device; and a search step for searching the information representing the cumulative content in said accumulation means based on the last time information representing a time of content emission that is recorded by an input device. An input method for recording a time information in a search device that includes an accumulation means to accumulate there the information representing a content and a time of transmission of the content in association with each other and sends a time information to a device of searching to find an information that represents the accumulated content in the accumulation means based on the time information that represents the content emission time, which comprises: a storage step of at least one time information representing the time of broadcasting content in a storage medium through a predetermined operation; and a communication step for transmitting the time information stored in said storage medium to the outside. An input method that includes a means of accumulation to accumulate information that represents a content and time of emission of the content in association between them and with which based on the time information in the emission of a content, the information corresponding to the time is sent to a search device to search for information representing an accumulated content in said accumulation means, characterized in that it comprises: a counter that operates with a predetermined clock; a storage step in a storage medium of a count value of said counter at the time when at least one content is emitted, through a predetermined operation; and a transmission communication step out of the count value stored in said storage means.