DESCRIPTION
INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING
METHOD, PROGRAM, AND CONTENT SHARING SYSTEM
5 TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
The present disclosure relates to an information
processing apparatus, an information processing method, a
program, and a content sharing system, and more particularly,
10 to an information processing apparatus, an information
processing method, a program, and a content sharing system
suitable for use in the identification of content being viewed
on the terminal side.
15 BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
For example, consider, when a television (TV) program
is being viewed, displaying on a screen information related
to the TV program (hereinafter, simply referred to as program)
20 (such as performers, an outline, or an announcement of the
next episode), information useful for a viewer but not directly
relevant to the program (such as news, a weather forecast,
or traffic information), or the like.
[0003]
25 This can be implemented by transmitting a command for
a dedicated application program (hereinafter, abbreviated as
application) to be acquired and started to a TV receiver or
the like in synchronization with the progress of the program.
This has actually been implemented in Japan, Europe, and others
30 by transmitting the command and an application using a band
for data broadcasting in a TV broadcast signal (for example,
3
see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
On the other hand, in the United States, a band for data
broadcasting is not provided in a TV broadcast signal, and
an alternative method has not been established. 5 Thus it has
not been implemented to execute an application in
synchronization with the progress of a program.
[0005]
In the United States, the number of households that view
10 programs via CATV, IPTV, or the like is greater than the number
of households that view programs by directly receiving TV
broadcast waves by TV receivers. CATV and IPTV sometimes
extract only video and audio signals of programs from TV
broadcast signals for distribution. Therefore, even if a band
15 for data broadcasting is provided in a TV broadcast signal
in the United States, there will be no guarantee that data
broadcast signals in which data on applications is included
are transmitted to receiving apparatuses via a communication
network of CATV or IPTV.
20 [0006]
Further, these days, when any content such as a recorded
program, a video reproduced from a package medium such as a
DVD or a BD, or moving images downloaded from the Internet,
as well as a program being broadcast in real time, is being
25 viewed, there is a desire to execute an application in
synchronization with the progress thereof.
[0007]
In order to cause an application to be executed in
accordance with the progress of any content being viewed, first,
30 it is necessary to identify the content being viewed. As a
method for that, the application of automatic content
4
recognition technology (hereinafter, referred to as ACR) has
been conceived.
[0008]
In ACR, signature data is inserted into content such
as a program to be viewed and provided to 5 the viewer side,
and at the same time, the content and the signature data are
associated with each other to be databased. Then, the viewer
side extracts the signature data from the content being viewed,
checks it against the database, and thereby identifies the
10 content being viewed.
[0009]
For the kind of signature data that is inserted into
content, provided to the viewer side, and extracted at the
time of viewing, for example, a digital fingerprint
15 (hereinafter, referred to as FP), a digital watermark
(hereinafter, referred to as WM), or the like is used.
[0010]
Operators that provide ACR services are not limited to
broadcast stations. Various entrants are considered, and as
20 a result, emergence of a plurality of ACR services is expected.
The emergence of the plurality of ACR services causes an
increase in the number of content registered in the database,
so that an improvement in content identification accuracy can
be expected. However, the kinds of signature data adopted
25 in the plurality of ACR services are not necessarily unified.
[0011]
On the other hand, on the viewer side, content
identification accuracy can be increased by extracting a
plurality of signature data pieces from content being viewed
30 by extraction methods depending on the kinds of signature data
adopted in the plurality of ACR services, and using the
5
plurality of ACR services.
CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENT
5 [0012]
Patent Document 1: JP 2006-50237 A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
10 [0013]
These days, there is a system in which a home network
in which audio visual (AV) apparatuses are connected to each
other is constructed in an ordinary household, and content
can be shared between the AV apparatuses connected to the home
15 network. The home network allows for sharing of content in
such a manner that content being received and viewed or content
recorded by a TV receiver placed in a living room is transferred
to a portable tablet computer or a TV receiver in a bedroom
to be viewed, for example.
20 [0014]
As described above, considering sharing of content via
a home network and further using ACR services, AV apparatuses
individually access ACR servers in spite of viewing common
content, increasing load of the ACR servers. Further, when
25 each AV apparatus uses a plurality of ACR services, an increase
in the load of processing for extracting signature data,
occurrence of a time delay until identification results are
obtained, or the like can cause an application to be
synchronized with the progress of content not to be able to
30 be executed at a predetermined timing.
[0015]
6
The present disclosure has been made in view of the
situation like this, and is intended to allow for efficient
use of an ACR service when content is shared.
SOLUTIONS 5 TO PROBLEMS
[0016]
An information processing apparatus according to a first
aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing
apparatus that shares content with a different information
10 processing apparatus via a network, which includes: an
acquisition unit for acquiring content; an identification
request unit for extracting first signature data from the
acquired content, transmitting a query including the first
signature data to a content identification server, and
15 receiving a response including results of identification of
the content returned from the content identification server
in response to the query; a signature data insertion unit for
transforming the response into response transformed data,
generating second signature data that can be extracted by the
20 different information processing apparatus with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
signature data into the acquired content; and a provision unit
for providing the content in which the second signature data
is inserted to the different information processing apparatus.
25 [0017]
The response further includes related metadata in which
information representing an application to be executed in
synchronization with the progress of the content is contained,
and the signature data insertion unit may generate the response
30 transformed data including at least the related metadata
included in the response, generate the second signature data
7
with the response transformed data contained therein, and
insert the second signature data into the acquired content.
[0018]
The information processing apparatus according to the
first aspect of the present disclosure may 5 further include
a management unit for managing the kind of signature data that
can be extracted by the different information processing
apparatus.
[0019]
10 The information processing apparatus according to the
first aspect of the present disclosure may further include
an execution unit for acquiring and executing the application
to be executed in synchronization with the progress of the
content, based on the related metadata included in the
15 response.
[0020]
The first signature data may be an FP, and the second
signature data may be a WM.
[0021]
20 The first and second signature data may be WMs.
[0022]
An information processing method according to the first
aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing
method for an information processing apparatus that shares
25 content with a different information processing apparatus via
a network, which includes: by the information processing
apparatus, an acquisition step of acquiring content; an
identification request step of extracting first signature data
from the acquired content, transmitting a query including the
30 first signature data to a content identification server, and
receiving a response including results of identification of
8
the content returned from the content identification server
in response to the query; a signature data insertion step of
transforming the response into response transformed data,
generating second signature data that can be extracted by the
different information processing apparatus 5 with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
signature data into the acquired content; and a provision step
of providing the content in which the second signature data
is inserted to the different information processing apparatus.
10 [0023]
A program according to the first aspect of the present
disclosure causes a computer that shares content with a
different information processing apparatus via a network to
function as: an acquisition unit for acquiring content; an
15 identification request unit for extracting first signature
data from the acquired content, transmitting a query including
the first signature data to a content identification server,
and receiving a response including results of identification
of the content returned from the content identification server
20 in response to the query; a signature data insertion unit for
transforming the response into response transformed data,
generating second signature data that can be extracted by the
different information processing apparatus with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
25 signature data into the acquired content; and a provision unit
for providing the content in which the second signature data
is inserted to the different information processing apparatus.
[0024]
According to the first aspect of the present disclosure,
30 content is acquired, first signature data is extracted from
the acquired content, a query including the first signature
9
data is transmitted to a content identification server, and
a response including results of identification of the content
returned from the content identification server in response
to the query is received. Further, the response is transformed
into response transformed data, and second signature 5 data that
can be extracted by the different information processing
apparatus with the response transformed data contained therein
is generated. Then, the second signature data is inserted
into the acquired content, and the content in which the second
10 signature data is inserted is provided to the different
information processing apparatus.
[0025]
An information processing apparatus according to a
second aspect of the present disclosure includes: an
15 acquisition unit for acquiring content provided from a
different information processing apparatus; an extraction
unit for extracting signature data from the acquired content;
and an execution unit for executing predetermined processing,
based on response transformed data contained in the extracted
20 signature data.
[0026]
The response transformed data includes related metadata
including information representing an application to be
executed in synchronization with the progress of the content,
25 and the execution unit may acquire and execute the application
based on the related metadata.
[0027]
The signature data may be a WM.
[0028]
30 An information processing method according to the second
aspect of the present disclosure includes: by an information
10
processing apparatus, an acquisition step of acquiring content
provided from a different information processing apparatus;
an extraction step of extracting signature data from the
acquired content; and an execution step of executing
predetermined processing, based on response 5 transformed data
contained in the extracted signature data.
[0029]
A program according to the second aspect of the present
disclosure causes a computer to function as: an acquisition
10 unit for acquiring content provided from a different
information processing apparatus; an extraction unit for
extracting signature data from the acquired content; and an
execution unit for executing predetermined processing, based
on response transformed data contained in the extracted
15 signature data.
[0030]
According to the second aspect of the present disclosure,
content provided from a different information processing
apparatus is acquired, signature data is extracted from the
20 acquired content, and predetermined processing is executed,
based on response transformed data contained in the extracted
signature data.
[0031]
A content sharing system according to a third aspect
25 of the present disclosure is a content sharing system including
a first information processing apparatus and a second
information processing apparatus, in which the first
information processing apparatus includes: a first
acquisition unit for acquiring content; an identification
30 request unit for extracting first signature data from the
acquired content, transmitting a query including the first
11
signature data to a content identification server, and
receiving a response including results of identification of
the content returned from the content identification server
in response to the query; a signature data insertion unit for
transforming the response into response 5 transformed data,
generating second signature data that can be extracted by the
second information processing apparatus with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
signature data into the acquired content; and a provision unit
10 for providing the content in which the second signature data
is inserted to the second information processing apparatus.
The second information processing apparatus includes: a second
acquisition unit for acquiring the content provided from the
first information processing apparatus; an extraction unit
15 for extracting the second signature data from the acquired
content; and an execution unit for executing predetermined
processing, based on the response transformed data contained
in the extracted second signature data.
[0032]
20 According to the third aspect of the present disclosure,
by the first information processing apparatus, content is
acquired, first signature data is extracted from the acquired
content, a query including the first signature data is
transmitted to a content identification server, and a response
25 including results of identification of the content returned
from the content identification server in response to the query
is received. Further, the response is transformed into
response transformed data, and second signature data that can
be extracted by the second information processing apparatus
30 with the response transformed data contained therein is
generated. Then, the second signature data is inserted into
12
the acquired content, and the content in which the second
signature data is inserted is provided to the second
information processing apparatus. On the other hand, by the
second information processing apparatus, the content provided
from the first information processing apparatus 5 is acquired,
the second signature data is extracted from the acquired
content, and predetermined processing is executed, based on
the response transformed data contained in the extracted second
signature data.
10
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0033]
According to the first aspect of the present disclosure,
content in which signature data containing response
15 transformed data is inserted can be provided to a different
information processing apparatus.
[0034]
According to the second aspect of the present disclosure,
signature data in which response transformed data is contained
20 can be extracted from content.
[0035]
According to the third aspect of the present disclosure,
use of a content identification server by a second information
processing apparatus can be reduced.
25
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0036]
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of an ACR system to which the present disclosure is
30 applied.
Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating data items of an ACR
13
query.
Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating data items of an ACR
response.
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating data items of ACR
response 5 transformed data.
Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the outline of
processing in an ACR transformation unit.
Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a first operation
example of the ACR system.
10 Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a second operation
example of the ACR system.
Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a third operation
example of the ACR system.
Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
15 example of a computer.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0037]
Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present
20 disclosure (hereinafter, referred to as embodiment) will be
described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0038]
[Configuration Example of ACR System]
Fig. 1 shows a configuration example of an ACR system
25 that is an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0039]
The ACR system 10 identifies content a user is viewing
with a screen such as a TV receiver as a monitor, using an
ACR service, and executes an application in synchronization
30 with the progress of the identified content.
[0040]
14
Here, content is not limited to a program being broadcast
in real time by TV broadcasting. Examples of the content
include various kinds of video data and audio data such as
a program recorded and reproduced by a video recorder, a video
such as a movie reproduced from a package medium 5 by a multimedia
player, and moving images and music downloaded via the Internet.
Commercial messages inserted between programs or during a
program are also included in the content.
[0041]
10 The ACR system 10 includes a broadcast apparatus 20 on
the broadcasting side, an ACR master terminal apparatus 30
on the receiving side that is connected to the broadcast
apparatus 20 via a broadcast network 11 and an interactive
communication network 12, and an ACR slave terminal apparatus
15 50 that constitutes a home network 40 with the ACR master
terminal apparatus 30. The ACR slave terminal apparatus 50
can also be connected to the broadcast apparatus 20 via the
broadcast network 11 and the interactive communication network
12 like the ACR master terminal apparatus 30.
20 [0042]
The broadcast network 11 refers to a TV broadcast network,
a CATV network, an IPTV network, or the like that can provide
content to the viewer side. The interactive communication
network 12 refers to an IP communication network such as the
25 Internet that can communicate various kinds of electronic data.
[0043]
[Explanation of Broadcast Apparatus 20]
The broadcast apparatus 20 includes a content server
21, ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N, an application server 23, and
30 a metadata server 24. These servers may be disposed at a single
location such as a broadcast station in a concentrated manner,
15
or may be disposed in a distributed manner. Further, these
servers may be combined as appropriate for configuration.
[0044]
The content server 21 provides content to the viewer
side (such as the ACR master terminal apparatus 5 30) via the
broadcast network 11. In content provided from the content
server 21, signature data (such as FPs or WMs generated by
a predetermined method) has previously been inserted.
[0045]
10 The ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N have databases in which
content and signature data inserted therein are registered
in association with each other. The signature data registered
in the databases of the ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N is not
necessarily unified in its kind. The signature data may be
15 FPs, WMs, and the like, for example.
[0046]
Even when the resolution, the aspect ratio, the bit rate,
the coding format, or the like of content is converted, an
FP can be extracted before and after the conversion in the
20 same form. Therefore, using a fingerprint as signature data
can increase content identification accuracy.
[0047]
A WM requires more time for extraction from content
compared with an FP, but can contain more digital data.
25 [0048]
In the databases, identification information on
applications to be executed in synchronization with the
progress of content, acquisition destination information on
metadata to be processed by the applications, and the like
30 are also registered.
[0049]
16
The ACR server 22-i (i = 1, …, N) identifies content
in response to an ACR query including signature data extracted
from the content being viewed, transmitted from a corresponding
ACR client 32-i of ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M in the ACR master
terminal apparatus 30. Further, it generates 5 an ACR response
including information on an application to be executed in
synchronization with the progress of the content and others,
and returns it to the ACR client 32-i. The ACR query and the
ACR response will be described below.
10 [0050]
The application server 23 holds applications to be
executed in synchronization with the progress of content on
the receiving side, and provides an application via the
interactive communication network 12 in response to a request
15 from an application execution unit 33 of the ACR master terminal
apparatus 30.
[0051]
The metadata server 24 holds metadata to be processed
by applications executed on the receiving side, and provides
20 metadata via the interactive communication network 12 in
response to a request from the application execution unit 33
of the ACR master terminal apparatus 30.
[0052]
[Explanation of ACR Master Terminal Apparatus 30]
25 The ACR master terminal apparatus 30 is disposed in a
viewer’s house or the like, built in an AV apparatus such as
a TV reliever or a video recorder constituting a part of the
home network 40.
[0053]
30 The ACR master terminal apparatus 30 has a content
acquisition unit 31, the ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M, the
17
application execution unit 33, an ACR transformation unit 34,
a local content holding unit 35, and a local ACR configuration
management unit 36.
[0054]
The content acquisition unit 31 acquires 5 and branches
all content to be displayed on a screen such as a TV receiver
with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30, or all
content in a decoded state to be recorded in a video recorder
with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30, to provide
10 it to the ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M and the ACR transformation
unit 34. Specifically, the content acquisition unit 31
acquires and branches not only content provided from the
content server 21 of the broadcast apparatus 20 via the
broadcast network 11 but also content fed via various input
15 terminals (such as an HDMI (registered trademark) terminal)
of the TV receiver, the video recorder, or the like.
[0055]
The ACR client 32-i (i = 1, 2, …, M (M ≤ N)) corresponds
to the ACR server 22-i of the ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N in the
20 broadcast apparatus 20. That is, the ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 having the M ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M can use
M of the N ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N. Hereinafter, when it
is not necessary to individually distinguish the ACR clients
32-1 to 32-M, they are simply referred to as ACR client 32.
25 The same applies to the ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N.
[0056]
The ACR client 32 extracts signature data from content
fed from the content acquisition unit 31 at predetermined
sampling periods, according to an ACR method (representing
30 the kind of the signature data, the extraction method, and
the like) adopted in the corresponding ACR server 22. The
18
ACR client 32 generates an ACR query including the extracted
signature data for requesting the identification of the content,
and transmits it to the corresponding ACR server 22 via the
interactive communication network 12.
5 [0057]
The ACR client 32 receives and analyzes an ACR response
returned from the ACR server 22 in response to the transmitted
ACR query, and notifies the application execution unit 33 of
analysis results. Further, the ACR client 32 provides the
10 received ACR response to the ACR transformation unit 34.
[0058]
Based on the results of analysis of the ACR response,
the application execution unit 33 acquires an application
associated with the content being viewed from the application
15 server 23 via the interactive communication network 12, and
executes it. Further, the application execution unit 33
acquires metadata to be processed by the application being
executed from the ACR client 32 or the metadata server 24.
[0059]
20 The ACR transformation unit 34 generates ACR response
transformed data by summarizing the ACR response fed from the
ACR client 32. Further, the ACR transformation unit 34
generates signature data that can be extracted by an ACR client
52 of the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50, with the generated
25 ACR response transformed data contained therein.
[0060]
The signature data that can be extracted by the ACR client
52 of the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 may be a WM in which
ACR response transformed data can be contained. However, as
30 long as being capable of containing ACR response transformed
data (digital data), the kind of signature data that can be
19
extracted by the ACR client 52 may be any, and is not limited
to a WM.
[0061]
Further, the ACR transformation unit 34 inserts the
signature data (WM) in which the ACR response 5 transformed data
from the ACR transformation unit 34 is contained into the
content branched and provided by the content acquisition unit
31, and outputs it to the local content holding unit 35.
[0062]
10 In some cases, the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 may
be equipped with a plurality of ACR clients 52, or a plurality
of AV apparatuses with the built-in ACR slave terminal
apparatuses 50 may be connected to the home network 40, and
the ACR clients 52 may correspond to their respective different
15 ACR methods. In these cases, signature data for each ACR method
may be caused to contain ACR response transformed data, and
a plurality of signature data pieces may be inserted into
content.
[0063]
20 The local content holding unit 35 holds signature data
(WMs) in which ACR response transformed data from the ACR
transformation unit 34 is contained, and provides it in
response to a request from the ACR slave terminal apparatus
50. Content in which signature data (WM) containing ACR
25 response transformed data is inserted may be stored in the
local content server 41 belonging to the home network 40.
[0064]
In the local ACR configuration management unit 36,
information representing the ACR server 22 that the ACR slave
30 terminal apparatus 50 connected to the home network 40 can
use, in other words, information representing the ACR method
20
in which the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal apparatus
50 can perform extraction is registered. This information
is notified from the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 to the
ACR master terminal apparatus 30 when the ACR slave terminal
apparatus 50 is connected to the ACR master 5 terminal apparatus
30 for the first time, for example, and registered in the local
ACR configuration management unit 36. For the communication
of this information, a service discovery protocol, for example,
may be used.
10 [0065]
[Explanation of ACR Slave Terminal Apparatus 50]
The ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 is built in an AV
apparatus such as a tablet computer, a smartphone, or a TV
receiver that can be connected to the home network 40.
15 [0066]
The ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 has a content
acquisition unit 51, the ACR client 52, and an application
execution unit 53.
[0067]
20 The content acquisition unit 51 acquires and branches
all content to be reproduced and displayed on the AV apparatus
with the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50, and provides
it to the ACR client 52. The content to be reproduced and
displayed on the AV apparatus with the built-in ACR slave
25 terminal apparatus 50 includes one provided from the content
server 21 of the broadcast apparatus 20 via the broadcast
network 11, one shared from the ACR master terminal apparatus
30, and one acquired from the local content server 41. However,
hereinafter, reference will be made of content shared from
30 the ACR master terminal apparatus 30.
[0068]
21
The ACR client 52 corresponds to one of the ACR servers
22-1 to 22-N of the broadcast apparatus 20, in other words,
corresponds to one method of the ACR methods adopted in the
ACR servers 22-1 to 22-N. The ACR client 52 notifies the ACR
master terminal apparatus 30 of information 5 representing the
ACR method that it can use when the ACR slave terminal apparatus
50 is connected to the ACR master terminal apparatus 30 for
the first time. The information is registered in the local
ACR configuration management unit 36.
10 [0069]
The ACR client 52 extracts signature data from content
fed from the content acquisition unit 31 and shared from the
ACR master terminal apparatus 30 at predetermined sampling
periods, according to the ACR method (in the present case,
15 the kind of the signature data is a WM) adopted in the
corresponding ACR server 22. Further, the ACR client 32
analyzes ACR response transformed data contained in the
extracted signature data, and notifies the application
execution unit 53 of analysis results.
20 [0070]
When content fed from the content acquisition unit 31
is not one shared from the ACR master terminal apparatus 30,
the ACR client 52 can execute processing similar to that of
the ACR client 32 of the ACR master terminal apparatus 30.
25 Specifically, it can extract signature data from content,
transmit an ACR query including that to the ACR server 22 to
request for identification of the content, and receive an ACR
response.
[0071]
30 Like the ACR master terminal apparatus 30, the ACR slave
terminal apparatus 50 may be equipped with a plurality of ACR
22
clients 52 corresponding to the different ACR servers 22.
[0072]
The application execution unit 53 acquires an
application associated with the content being viewed, based
on the analysis results on the ACR response 5 transformed data
from the application server 23 via the interactive
communication network 12, and executes it. Further, the
application execution unit 53 acquires metadata to be processed
by the application being executed from the ACR client 32 or
10 the metadata server 24.
[0073]
[About Data Items of Information Communicated]
Next, data items of different kinds of information
communicated between the broadcast apparatus 20, the ACR master
15 terminal apparatus 30, and the ACR slave terminal apparatus
50 will be described.
[0074]
Fig. 2 shows data items of an ACR query transmitted when
identification of content is requested from the ACR client
20 32-i of the ACR master terminal apparatus 30 (or the ACR client
52 of the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50) to the ACR server
22-i of the broadcast apparatus 20.
[0075]
An ACR query 60 includes an ACR query identifier 61,
25 an extraction method identifier 62, a service identifier 63,
signature data 64, a local time stamp 65, a source address
66, and a signature 67.
[0076]
The ACR query identifier 61 is information uniquely
30 identifying the ACR query 60. The extraction method
identifier 62 is information identifying the extraction method
23
used when the signature data 64 is extracted. The service
identifier 63 is information for identifying the ACR server
22 to which the ACR query 60 is transmitted and from which
an ACR response is received.
5 [0077]
The signature data 64 is one extracted from content at
the ACR client 32-i (or the ACR client 52). The local time
stamp 65 indicates a timing at which the signature data 64
was extracted from the content, which is represented by a time
10 indicated by a local system clock of the ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 (or the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50).
[0078]
The source address 66 is an address on the interactive
communication network 12 of the ACR client 32-i (or the ACR
15 client 52) that transmits the ACR query 60, and is used as
a return address of an ACR response generated at the ACR server
22-i in response to the ACR query 60. The signature 67 is
for preventing falsification of the ACR query 60. The entire
ACR query 60 may be encrypted for transmission.
20 [0079]
Fig. 3 shows data items of an ACR response returned from
the ACR server 22-i to the ACR client 32-i (or the ACR client
52).
[0080]
25 A of Fig. 3 shows data items of an ACR response 70 when
content at the source of extraction of the signature data 64
included in the ACR query 60 can be identified, that is, when
content being viewed at the AV apparatus with the built-in
ACR master terminal apparatus 30 can be identified. B of Fig.
30 3 shows data items of an ACR response 70 when content cannot
be identified.
24
[0081]
The ACR response 70 (A of Fig. 3) when content can be
identified includes an ACR query identifier 71, an extraction
method identifier 72, a service identifier 73, a content
identifier 74, a reproduction time 75, a local 5 time stamp 76,
related metadata 77, a source address 78, and a signature 79.
[0082]
On the other hand, the ACR response 70 (B of Fig. 3)
when content cannot be identified includes an ACR query
10 identifier 71, a service identifier 73, a source address 78,
a signature 79, and an identification failure flag 81.
[0083]
The ACR query identifier 71, the extraction method
identifier 72, the service identifier 73, and the local time
15 stamp 76 identify the ACR query 60 having acted as a trigger
for the generation of the ACR response 70, which are taken
from the ACR query identifier 61, the extraction method
identifier 62, the service identifier 63, and the local time
stamp 65 of the corresponding ACR query 60.
20 [0084]
The content identifier 74 and the reproduction time 75
represent identification results. Specifically, the content
identifier 74 is information identifying the content at the
source of extraction of the signature data 64 of the ACR query
25 60. The reproduction time 75 is information representing a
timing at which the signature data 64 was extracted from the
content by the time elapsed since the beginning of the content.
[0085]
The related metadata 77 includes an application
30 identifier representing an application to be executed in
association with the progress of the identified content and
25
also representing an acquisition destination thereof
(application server 23), and metadata to be processed by the
application. In place of the metadata, a metadata identifier
identifying the metadata and representing an acquisition
destination thereof may be contained. The 5 application to be
executed may be changed depending on the AV apparatus on which
the content is being viewed. In that case, the related metadata
77 is configured to contain a plurality of application
identifiers.
10 [0086]
The source address 78 is the address on the interactive
communication network 12 of the ACR server 22 that transmits
the ACR response 70. The signature 79 is for preventing
falsification of the ACR response 70. The entire ACR response
15 70 may be encrypted and then transmitted, thereby preventing
falsification thereof.
[0087]
The identification failure flag 81 is a flag representing
that the content at the source of extraction of the signature
20 data 84 included in the ACR query 60 could not be identified
in the ACR server 22.
[0088]
Fig. 4 shows data items of ACR response transformed data
that the ACR transformation unit 34 of the ACR master terminal
25 apparatus 30 generates by summarizing the ACR response 70
returned from the ACR server 22.
[0089]
An ACR response transformed data 90 includes a content
identifier 91, a reproduction time 92, and related metadata
30 93. These are taken from the content identifier 74, the
reproduction time 75, and the related metadata 77 of the ACR
26
response 70.
[0090]
[Operation by ACR System 10]
Next, an operation of the ACR system 10 will be described.
5 [0091]
Fig. 5 shows an outline of processing of the ACR
transformation unit 34. In content, an FP is inserted as
signature data, for example. The FP is extracted by the ACR
client 32 to generate the ACR query 60, in response to which
10 the ACR response 70 is returned. The ACR transformation unit
34 inserts a WM as signature data in which ACR response
transformed data is contained into each predetermined unit
of content fed sequentially from the content acquisition unit
31, and outputs it to the local content holding unit 35 or
15 the local content server 41 in a later stage.
[0092]
The ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 that acquires content
from the local content holding unit 35 or the local content
server 41 extracts signature data by the ACR method that the
20 ACR client 52 uses, thereby being able to acquire the ACR
response transformed data 90 contained therein.
[0093]
Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation
(hereinafter, referred to as first operation example) when
25 content received and reproduced by an AV apparatus (for example,
a TV receiver) with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus
30 is shared in real time with an AV apparatus (for example,
a tablet PC) with the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus
50.
30 [0094]
In step S1, the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal
27
apparatus 50 notifies the ACR master terminal apparatus 30
of information representing an ACR method that it can use.
Upon reception of the notification, in step S11, the local
ACR configuration management unit 36 of the ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 registers the ACR method that 5 the ACR client 52
of the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 can use. The
registration of the information needs to be performed once.
When it has already been performed, the processing in steps
S1 and S11 can be omitted.
10 [0095]
In step S21, the content server 21 of the broadcast
apparatus 20 broadcasts content via the broadcast network 11.
The AV apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 receives it, and a user starts viewing it. In
15 step S12, the content acquisition unit 31 acquires and branches
the content to provide it to the ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M and
the ACR transformation unit 34.
[0096]
In step S13, the ACR client 32 extracts the signature
20 data 64 from the content fed from the content acquisition unit
31, according to the ACR method adopted in the corresponding
ACR server 22. In step S14, the ACR client 32 generates the
ACR query 60 including the extracted signature data 64, and
transmits it to the corresponding ACR server 22 via the
25 interactive communication network 12.
[0097]
In step S22, upon receiving the ACR query 60, the ACR
server 22 identifies the content being viewed on the AV
apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30,
30 based on the signature data 64 included in the ACR query 60.
Then, in step S23, the ACR server 22 generates the ACR response
28
70 including results of the identification, and returns it
to the corresponding ACR client 32. Here, suppose that the
content can be identified, and the ACR response 70 shown in
A of Fig. 3 is returned.
5 [0098]
In step S15, upon receiving the ACR response 70, the
ACR client 32 analyzes the ACR response 70, and notifies the
application execution unit 33 of analysis results. Further,
the ACR client 32 provides the received ACR response 70 to
10 the ACR transformation unit 34.
[0099]
In step S16, the application execution unit 33 requests
an application associated with the content being viewed from
the application server 23 via the interactive communication
15 network 12, based on the analysis results of the ACR response
70. Then, the application server 23 retrieves content to be
provided and performs provision in step S24.
[0100]
In step S17, the ACR transformation unit 34 summarizes
20 the ACR response 70 fed from the ACR client 32, generating
the ACR response transformed data 90. Then in step S18, the
ACR transformation unit 34 generates a WM as signature data
that can be extracted by the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave
terminal apparatus 50, with the generated ACR response
25 transformed data contained therein. Further, the ACR
transformation unit 34 inserts the WM in the content provided
from the content acquisition unit 31, and outputs it to the
local content holding unit 35, in which it is held.
[0101]
30 On the other hand, in step S2, the AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 requests the
29
content to be shared in real time. In response to this request,
in step S19, the local content holding unit 35 of the ACR master
terminal apparatus 30 delivers the required content in which
the WM is inserted to the AV apparatus with the built-in ACR
slave terminal apparatus 50. The delivered 5 content is
reproduced by the AV apparatus with the built-in ACR slave
terminal apparatus 50. In conjunction with this, the content
acquisition unit 51 branches the content and provides it to
the ACR client 52.
10 [0102]
In step S3, the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal
apparatus 50 extracts the signature data (in the present case,
the WM) from the content branched by the content acquisition
unit 51. In step S4, the ACR client 52 analyzes the ACR response
15 transformed data 90 contained in the extracted WM, and notifies
the application execution unit 53 of analysis results.
[0103]
In step S5, the application execution unit 53 requests
an application associated with the content being viewed from
20 the application server 23 via the interactive communication
network 12, based on the analysis results on the ACR response
transformed data 90. Then, the application server 23
retrieves content to be provided and performs provision in
step S25. This is the end of the explanation of the first
25 operation example.
[0104]
According to the first operation example of the ACR
system 10 described above, content being viewed on an AV
apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30
30 can be transferred to and shared with an AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 in real time.
30
Further, the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 can obtain
information such as identification results of shared content
and an application to be executed accordingly only by
extracting signature data (WM) from the content without using
the ACR server 22. In other words, the ACR 5 client 32 of the
ACR master terminal apparatus 30 and the ACR client 52 of the
ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 do not request the ACR server
22 to identify common content, thus being able to efficiently
use the ACR service.
10 [0105]
Next, Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation
(hereinafter, referred to as second operation example) when
content received and reproduced by an AV apparatus (for example,
a TV receiver) with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus
15 30 is shared by an AV apparatus (for example, a tablet PC)
with the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 at a later
timing.
[0106]
In step S31, the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal
20 apparatus 50 notifies the ACR master terminal apparatus 30
of information representing an ACR method that it can use.
Upon reception of the notification, in step S41, the local
ACR configuration management unit 36 of the ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 registers the ACR method that the ACR client 52
25 of the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 can use. The
registration of the information needs to be performed once.
When it has already been performed, the processing in steps
S31 and S41 can be omitted.
[0107]
30 In step S51, the content server 21 of the broadcast
apparatus 20 broadcasts content via the broadcast network 11.
31
The AV apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 receives it, and a user starts viewing it. In
step S42, the content acquisition unit 31 acquires and branches
the content to provide it to the ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M and
the ACR transformation 5 unit 34.
[0108]
In step S43, the ACR client 32 extracts the signature
data 64 from the content fed from the content acquisition unit
31, according to the ACR method adopted in the corresponding
10 ACR server 22. In step S44, the ACR client 32 generates the
ACR query 60 including the extracted signature data 64, and
transmits it to the corresponding ACR server 22 via the
interactive communication network 12.
[0109]
15 In step S52, upon receiving the ACR query 60, the ACR
server 22 identifies the content being viewed on the AV
apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30,
based on the signature data 64 included in the ACR query 60.
Then, in step S53, the ACR server 22 generates the ACR response
20 70 including results of the identification, and returns it
to the corresponding ACR client 32. Here, suppose that the
content can be identified, and the ACR response 70 shown in
A of Fig. 3 is returned.
[0110]
25 In step S45, upon receiving the ACR response 70, the
ACR client 32 analyzes the ACR response 70, and notifies the
application execution unit 33 of analysis results. Further,
the ACR client 32 provides the received ACR response 70 to
the ACR transformation unit 34.
30 [0111]
In step S46, the application execution unit 33 requests
32
an application associated with the content being viewed from
the application server 23 via the interactive communication
network 12, based on the analysis results of the ACR response
70. Then, the application server 23 retrieves content to be
provided and performs provision 5 in step S54.
[0112]
In step S47, the ACR transformation unit 34 summarizes
the ACR response 70 fed from the ACR client 32, generating
the ACR response transformed data 90. Then, in step S48, the
10 ACR transformation unit 34 generates a WM as signature data
that can be extracted by the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave
terminal apparatus 50, with the generated ACR response
transformed data contained therein. Further, the ACR
transformation unit 34 inserts the WM in the content provided
15 from the content acquisition unit 31, and outputs it to the
local content holding unit 35, in which it is stored. The
content may alternatively be stored in the local content server
41.
[0113]
20 On the other hand, in step S32, the AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 requests sharing
of the content stored in the ACR master terminal apparatus
30. In response to this request, in step S49, the local content
holding unit 35 of the ACR master terminal apparatus 30 delivers
25 the required content in which the WM is inserted to the AV
apparatus with the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50.
The delivered content is reproduced by the AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50. In conjunction
with this, the content acquisition unit 51 branches the content
30 and provides it to the ACR client 52.
[0114]
33
In step S33, the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal
apparatus 50 extracts the signature data (in the present case,
a WM) from the content branched by the content acquisition
unit 51. In step S34, the ACR client 52 analyzes the ACR
response transformed data 90 contained in 5 the extracted WM,
and notifies the application execution unit 53 of analysis
results.
[0115]
In step S35, the application execution unit 53 requests
10 an application associated with the content being viewed from
the application server 23 via the interactive communication
network 12, based on the analysis results on the ACR response
transformed data 90. Then, the application server 23
retrieves content to be provided and performs provision in
15 step S55. This is the end of the explanation of the second
operation example.
[0116]
According to the second operation example of the ACR
system 10 described above, content being viewed on an AV
20 apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30
can be transferred to and shared with an AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 at a later timing.
Further, the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 can obtain
information such as identification results on shared content
25 and an application to be executed accordingly only by
extracting signature data (WM) from the content without using
the ACR server 22. In other words, the ACR client 32 of the
ACR master terminal apparatus 30 and the ACR client 52 of the
ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 do not request the ACR server
30 22 to identify common content, thus being able to efficiently
use the ACR service.
34
[0117]
Next, Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation
(hereinafter, referred to as third operation example) when
content received and recorded by an AV apparatus (for example,
a video recorder) with the built-in ACR 5 master terminal
apparatus 30 is shared by an AV apparatus (for example, a tablet
PC) with the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 at a
later timing.
[0118]
10 In step S61, the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal
apparatus 50 notifies the ACR master terminal apparatus 30
of information representing an ACR method that it can use.
Upon receiving the notification, in step S71, the local ACR
configuration management unit 36 of the ACR master terminal
15 apparatus 30 registers the ACR method that the ACR client 52
of the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 can use. The
registration of the information needs to be performed once.
When it has already been performed, the processing in steps
S61 and S71 can be omitted.
20 [0119]
In step S81, the content server 21 of the broadcast
apparatus 20 broadcasts content via the broadcast network 11.
The AV apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal
apparatus 30 receives it and starts recording it. In step
25 S72, the content acquisition unit 31 acquires and branches
the content to provide it to the ACR clients 32-1 to 32-M and
the ACR transformation unit 34.
[0120]
In step S73, the ACR client 32 extracts the signature
30 data 64 from the content fed from the content acquisition unit
31, according to the ACR method adopted in the corresponding
35
ACR server 22. In step S74, the ACR client 32 generates the
ACR query 60 including the extracted signature data 64, and
transmits it to the corresponding ACR server 22 via the
interactive communication network 12.
5 [0121]
In step S82, upon receiving the ACR query 60, the ACR
server 22 identifies the content being recorded by the AV
apparatus with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30,
based on the signature data 64 included in the ACR query 60.
10 Then, in step S83, the ACR server 22 generates the ACR response
70 including results of the identification, and transmits it
to the corresponding ACR client 32. Here, suppose that the
content can be identified, and the ACR response 70 shown in
A of Fig. 3 is returned.
15 [0122]
In step S75, upon receiving the ACR response 70, the
ACR client 32 analyzes the ACR response 70, and notifies the
application execution unit 33 of analysis results. Further,
the ACR client 32 provides the received ACR response 70 to
20 the ACR transformation unit 34.
[0123]
In step S76, the ACR transformation unit 34 summarizes
the ACR response 70 fed from the ACR client 32, generating
the ACR response transformed data 90. Then, in step S77, the
25 ACR transformation unit 34 generates a WM as signature data
that can be extracted by the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave
terminal apparatus 50, with the generated ACR response
transformed data contained therein. Further, the ACR
transformation unit 34 inserts the WM in the content provided
30 from the content acquisition unit 31, and outputs it to the
local content holding unit 35, in which it is stored. The
36
content may alternatively be stored in the local content server
41. In this embodiment, content in which a WM is inserted
is stored separately from that recorded by the AV apparatus
(for example, a video recorder) with the built-in ACR master
terminal apparatus 30. Alternatively, a 5 WM may be inserted
in content to be recorded.
[0124]
On the other hand, in step S62, the AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 requests sharing
10 of the content stored in the ACR master terminal apparatus
30. In response to this request, in step S78, the local content
holding unit 35 of the ACR master terminal apparatus 30 delivers
the required content in which the WM is inserted to the AV
apparatus with the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50.
15 The delivered content is reproduced by the AV apparatus with
the built-in ACR slave terminal apparatus 50. In conjunction
with this, the content acquisition unit 51 branches the content
and provides it to the ACR client 52.
[0125]
20 In step S63, the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave terminal
apparatus 50 extracts the signature data (in the present case,
the WM) from the content branched by the content acquisition
unit 51. In step S64, the ACR client 52 analyzes the ACR
response transformed data 90 contained in the extracted WM,
25 and notifies the application execution unit 53 of analysis
results.
[0126]
In step S65, the application execution unit 53 requests
an application associated with the content being viewed from
30 the application server 23 via the interactive communication
network 12, based on the analysis results on the ACR response
37
transformed data 90. Then, the application server 23
retrieves content to be provided and performs provision in
step S84. This is the end of the explanation of the third
operation example.
5 [0127]
According to the third operation example of the ACR
system 10 described above, content recorded by an AV apparatus
with the built-in ACR master terminal apparatus 30 can be
transferred to and shared with an AV apparatus with the built-in
10 ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 at a later timing. Further,
the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 can obtain information
such as identification results on shared content and an
application to be executed accordingly only by extracting
signature data (WM) from the content without using the ACR
15 server 22. In other words, the ACR client 32 of the ACR master
terminal apparatus 30 and the ACR client 52 of the ACR slave
terminal apparatus 50 do not request the ACR server 22 to
identify common content, thus being able to efficiently use
the ACR service.
20 [0128]
The broadcast apparatus 20, the ACR master terminal
apparatus 30, and the ACR slave terminal apparatus 50 for
executing the above-described series of processing can be
implemented by a computer executing software as well as each
25 being configured by hardware. Examples of the computer
include a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware, a
computer such as a general-purpose personal computer capable
of implementing various functions by being installed with
various programs, and others.
30 [0129]
Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
38
example of hardware of the above-described computer.
[0130]
In a computer 100, a central processing unit (CPU) 101,
a read-only memory (ROM) 102, and a random-access memory (RAM)
103 are interconnected 5 via a bus 104.
[0131]
An input-output interface 105 is also connected to the
bus 104. An input unit 106, an output unit 107, a storage
unit 108, a communication unit 109, and a drive 110 are connected
10 to the input-output interface 105.
[0132]
The input unit 106 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and
a microphone, or the like. The output unit 107 includes a
display and a speaker, or the like. The storage unit 108
15 includes a hard disk and a non-volatile memory, or the like.
The communication unit 109 includes a network interface or
the like. The drive 110 drives a removable medium 111 such
as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk,
or a semiconductor memory.
20 [0133]
In the computer 100 configured as above, the CPU 101
loads a program stored in the storage unit 108 into the RAM
103 via the input-output interface 105 and the bus 104, and
executes it, thereby performing the above-described series
25 of processing, for example.
[0134]
The program executed by the computer 100 (CPU 101) can
be recorded in the removable medium 111 as a package medium
or the like to be provided, for example. Alternatively, the
30 program can be provided via a wired or wireless transmission
medium such as a local area network, the Internet, or digital
39
satellite broadcasting.
[0135]
In the computer 100, the program can be installed into
the storage unit 108 via the input-output interface 105 by
inserting the removable medium 111 into 5 the drive 110.
Alternatively, the program can be received by the communication
unit 109 via a wired or wireless transmission medium and
installed in the storage unit 108. Other than that, the program
can be installed in advance in the ROM 102 or the storage unit
10 108.
[0136]
The program executed by the computer 100 may be a program
in which processing is performed on a time-series basis in
the order described in the description, or may be a program
15 in which processing is performed in parallel or at a necessary
timing such as when a call is made.
[0137]
An embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited
to the above-described embodiment, and various changes may
20 be made without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0138]
25 10 ACR system
11 Broadcast network
12 Interactive communication network
20 Transmission apparatus
21 Content server
30 22 ACR server
23 Application server
40
24 Metadata server
30 ACR master terminal apparatus
31 Content acquisition unit
32 ACR client
33 Application 5 execution unit
34 ACR transformation unit
35 Local content holding unit
Local ACR configuration management unit
40 Home network
10 41 Local content server
50 ACR slave terminal apparatus
51 Content acquisition unit
52 ACR client
53 Application execution unit
15 60 ACR query
70 ACR response
90 ACR response transformed data
100 Computer
101 CPU
20
41
CLAIMS
1. An information processing apparatus that shares content
with a different information processing apparatus via a network,
the information processing apparatus 5 comprising:
an acquisition unit for acquiring content;
an identification request unit for extracting first
signature data from the acquired content, transmitting a query
including the first signature data to a content identification
10 server, and receiving a response including results of
identification of the content returned from the content
identification server in response to the query;
a signature data insertion unit for transforming the
response into response transformed data, generating second
15 signature data that can be extracted by the different
information processing apparatus with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
signature data into the acquired content; and
a provision unit for providing the content in which the
20 second signature data is inserted to the different information
processing apparatus.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim
1, wherein
25 the response further includes related metadata in which
information representing an application to be executed in
synchronization with the progress of the content is contained,
and
the signature data insertion unit generates the response
30 transformed data including at least the related metadata
included in the response, generates the second signature data
42
with the response transformed data contained therein, and
inserts the second signature data into the acquired content.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim
2, further comprising a management unit for 5 managing the kind
of signature data that can be extracted by the different
information processing apparatus.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim
10 2, further comprising an execution unit for acquiring and
executing the application to be executed in synchronization
with the progress of the content, based on the related metadata
included in the response.
15 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim
2, wherein
the first signature data is an FP, and
the second signature data is a WM.
20 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim
2, wherein the first and second signature data are WMs.
7. An information processing method for an information
processing apparatus that shares content with a different
25 information processing apparatus via a network, the
information processing method comprising:
by the information processing apparatus,
an acquisition step of acquiring content;
an identification request step of extracting first
30 signature data from the acquired content, transmitting a query
including the first signature data to a content identification
43
server, and receiving a response including results of
identification of the content returned from the content
identification server in response to the query;
a signature data insertion step of transforming the
response into response transformed data, 5 generating second
signature data that can be extracted by the different
information processing apparatus with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
signature data into the acquired content; and
10 a provision step of providing the content in which the
second signature data is inserted to the different information
processing apparatus.
8. A program for causing a computer that shares content
15 with a different information processing apparatus via a network
to function as:
an acquisition unit for acquiring content;
an identification request unit for extracting first
signature data from the acquired content, transmitting a query
20 including the first signature data to a content identification
server, and receiving a response including results of
identification of the content returned from the content
identification server in response to the query;
a signature data insertion unit for transforming the
25 response into response transformed data, generating second
signature data that can be extracted by the different
information processing apparatus with the response
transformed data contained therein, and inserting the second
signature data into the acquired content; and
30 a provision unit for providing the content in which the
second signature data is inserted to the different information
44
processing apparatus.
9. An information processing apparatus comprising:
an acquisition unit for acquiring content provided from
a different information processing 5 apparatus;
an extraction unit for extracting signature data from
the acquired content; and
an execution unit for executing predetermined
processing, based on response transformed data contained in
10 the extracted signature data.
10. The information processing apparatus according to claim
9, wherein
the response transformed data includes related metadata
15 including information representing an application to be
executed in synchronization with the progress of the content,
and
the execution unit acquires and executes the application
based on the related metadata.
20
11. The information processing apparatus according to claim
10, wherein the signature data is a WM.
12. An information processing method for an information
25 processing apparatus, comprising:
by the information processing apparatus,
an acquisition step of acquiring content provided from
a different information processing apparatus;
an extraction step of extracting signature data from
30 the acquired content; and
an execution step of executing predetermined processing,
45
based on response transformed data contained in the extracted
signature data.
13. A program for causing a computer to function as:
an acquisition unit for acquiring content 5 provided from
a different information processing apparatus;
an extraction unit for extracting signature data from
the acquired content; and
an execution unit for executing predetermined
10 processing, based on response transformed data contained in
the extracted signature data.
14. A content sharing system comprising a first information
processing apparatus and a second information processing
15 apparatus, wherein
the first information processing apparatus comprises:
a first acquisition unit for acquiring content;
an identification request unit for extracting
first signature data from the acquired content, transmitting
20 a query including the first signature data to a content
identification server, and receiving a response including
results of identification of the content returned from the
content identification server in response to the query;
a signature data insertion unit for transforming
25 the response into response transformed data, generating second
signature data that can be extracted by the second information
processing apparatus with the response transformed data
contained therein, and inserting the second signature data
into the acquired content; and
30 a provision unit for providing the content in which
the second signature data is inserted to the second information
46
processing apparatus, and
the second information processing apparatus comprises:
a second acquisition unit for acquiring the
content provided from the first information processing
5 apparatus;
an extraction unit for extracting the second
signature data from the acquired content; and
an execution unit for executing predetermined
processing, based on the response transformed data contained
10 in the extracted second signature data.