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Content-related information delivery systemRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Database And File Management Or Data Structures, Database Or File Accessing, Query Processing (i.e., Searching), Query Augmenting And Refining (e.g., Inexact Access)Content-related information delivery system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070150462, Content-related information delivery system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to information distribution technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to a content-related information delivery system for delivering information related to a content to a user device. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Recently, users are offered a growing number of services for distribution of digitized contents such as music and movies stored in large-capacity recording mediums such as CDs (Compact Discs) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs). One advantage of these services is that high-quality contents are delivered to users in volume at a time. [0003] In addition, contents distribution over a network is also becoming common with the wide spread of broadband lines and always-on Internet connections. One advantage of such distribution is that bidirectional communications between a server and a user device makes it possible to deliver contents meeting the particular needs of an individual user. [0004] JP patent application publication No. 09-307859 discloses a technique for delivering contents to users through the combined use of above distribution techniques. [0005] According to the disclosure, a recording medium stores a content composed of text data, image data, and so on. In addition, the recording medium stores an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) content composed of link information showing a playback sequence of the stored data. A playback apparatus plays back the content according to the link information. In addition, for improving the interactivity of the content, the HTML content also includes link information to a related content stored on the server connected via a network. Thus, the playback apparatus is enabled to acquire the related content from the server using the link information, and to play back the acquired related content. [0006] Unfortunately, however, the above technique requires that a content stored on the recording medium be an HTML content that includes link information to one or more related contents. When a content stored on the recording medium is not provided with link information, no related content can be acquired via a network. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention is made in view of the above problem and aims to provide a content-related information delivery system for delivering contents related to another content recorded on a recording medium to a user apparatus over a network in response to a user request. The content-related information delivery system according to the present invention is applicable even if a content recorded on a recording medium is not an HTML content provided with link information to related contents. [0008] In order to achieve the above aim, the present invention provides a content-related information delivery system having: a playback apparatus and a server. The playback apparatus includes: a monitoring unit operable to monitor a current playback position of a content during playback; a playback position information generating unit operable to acquire the current playback position from the monitoring unit and generate, using the acquired playback position, playback position information specifying a segment of the content; and a-playback position information transmitting unit operable to transmit the generated playback position information to the server. The server includes: a playback position information receiving unit operable to receive the playback position information from the playback apparatus; a related information acquiring unit operable to acquire information related to the segment of the content specified by the received playback position information; and a related information transmitting unit operable to transmit the acquired related information to a destination apparatus. [0009] With the structure stated above, the playback apparatus transmits playback position information specifying a segment of a content to the server. In response, the server transmits related information to a destination apparatus according to the playback position information. Consequently, the playback apparatus is enabled to request the server for information related to the content even if the content is provided with no link information. In addition, the server is enabled to transmit the related information to the destination apparatus. [0010] In another aspect, the present invention provides a playback apparatus for playing back a content and requesting a server for information related to the content. The a playback apparatus includes: a playback position information generating unit operable to generate playback position information specifying a segment of the content; and a playback position information transmitting unit operable to transmit the generated playback position information to the server. [0011] With the structure stated above, the playback position information is generated by the playback apparatus and transmitted to the server. Consequently, information related to a content is requested even if the content subjected to playback does not include link information to the related information. [0012] Here, the playback position information generating unit may include: selecting subunit operable to receive a user selection of a desired scene of the content; an acquiring subunit operable to acquire a playback position of the selected scene of the content; and a generating subunit operable to generate the playback position information that includes the acquired playback position. [0013] With the structure stated above, the playback apparatus receives a user selection of a favorite scene and generates playback position information specifying the user's favorite scene. That is to say, the playback apparatus can inform the server about the user's favorite scene, so that the playback apparatus can request the server for the user's favorite scene. [0014] Here, the playback apparatus may further include a monitoring unit operable to monitor a current playback position of the content during playback. The acquiring subunit acquires the playback position of the selected scene from the monitoring unit. [0015] With the structure stated above, the current playback position of a content is monitored at all times. Upon receipt of a user selection of a favorite scene, the playback apparatus generates playback position information by referring to the current playback position. [0016] Here, the playback apparatus may further include a content identifier acquiring unit operable to acquire a content identifier uniquely identifying the content. The monitoring unit monitors the current playback position by measuring a time period elapsed from a start of the playback. The generating subunit generates the playback position information that includes the content identifier acquired by the content identifier acquiring unit and the playback position acquired by the acquiring subunit. [0017] With the structure stated above, the playback apparatus acquires a content identifier and generates the playback position information that includes the content identifier. The server can identify each piece of playback position information using the content identifier. That is to say, the playback apparatus may transmit to the server a plurality of pieces of playback position information for a plurality of contents. [0018] Here, the playback apparatus may further include: a display unit operable to display the content on a screen; and an on-screen position acquiring unit operable to receive a user selection of a desired point on the screen displaying the selected scene and acquire an on-screen position of the selected point. The generating subunit generates the playback position information that includes the content identifier, the playback position, and the on-screen position. [0019] With the structure stated above, the playback apparatus allows the user to select a specific image appearing in a scene displayed on a screen. For example, a specific actor, a restaurant, a theme park, a piece of furniture, a building may be selected. Consequently, the playback apparatus is enabled to inform the server about user's interests in greater detail and to make a request for information related not only to the user's favorite scene but also to a specific image included the scene. [0020] Here, the playback apparatus may read the content from a portable recording medium and plays back the read content. The monitoring unit monitors the current playback position on the recording medium during playback of the content. The acquiring subunit acquires the playback position of the selected scene on the recording medium. [0021] With the structure stated above, during playback of a content recorded on a recording medium, the playback apparatus monitors the storage position such as a track number or a sector number of a frame currently played. Thus, the playback apparatus is capable of generating playback position information of a content stored on the recording medium. Continue reading about Content-related information delivery system... Full patent description for Content-related information delivery system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Content-related information delivery system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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