Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2003-01-28
Coulter, Kenneth R. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C713S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06513064
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to information processing apparatuses, information processing methods, and recording media. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus which is connected to other information processing apparatuses via an IEEE-1394 serial data bus and which reliably and individually controls built-in sub-units. The invention also pertains to an information processing method used in the above type of information processing apparatus and to a recording medium implementing this method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Audio/visual (AV) machines that can transmit information to each other via a network using an IEEE-1394 serial data bus are being developed. In this network, it is possible to control the AV machines connected to the network by using a predetermined command (AV/C Command Transaction Set). For example, a video picture received by an Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD)
71
for receiving digital satellite broadcasts can be recorded, as shown in
FIG. 1
, on a Digital Video Cassette Recorder (DVCR)
81
connected to the IRD
71
via an IEEE-1394 serial data bus
2
(hereinafter simply referred to as the “bus
2
”). Additionally, what is called “recording reservations” can be made by using the IRD
71
and the DVCR
81
.
According to the recording reservation processing, a controller
72
of the IRD
71
controls the IRD
71
and the DVRC
81
. More specifically, the recording-reservation settings (channel, recording start time, etc.) are made on the IRD
71
, and when the recording start time is reached, the controller
72
of the IRD
71
controls a tuner sub-unit
73
to select the reserved (set) channel and to output a received video signal to the DVCR
81
via the bus
2
. Simultaneously, the controller
72
transmits a recording start command to a VCR sub-unit
84
of the DVCR
81
via the bus
2
. In response to the recording start command transmitted from the controller
72
, the VCR sub-unit
84
of the DVCR
81
records the video signal supplied from the tuner sub-unit
73
on magnetic tape (not shown).
As discussed above, it is possible to control the operation of the DVCR
81
from another machine (in the example shown in
FIG. 1
, the IRD
71
) connected to the DVCR
81
via the bus
2
. In this case, there may be a danger that what is called “double-booking” occurs.
For example, when a recording reservation (recording reservation A) of a digital satellite broadcast is input into the IRD
71
, the reservation information is stored in the controller
72
of the IRD
71
. Thereafter, if a recording reservation (recording reservation B) of a terrestrial analog broadcast, which is to be broadcast at the same time as the recording reservation A, is input into the DVCR
81
, a controller
82
of the DVCR
81
receives and stores the recording reservation B since the information concerning the recording reservation A input into the IRD
71
has not been reported to the DVCR
81
. Thus, upon reaching the time when both the recording reservation A and the recording reservation B are started, video pictures are inconveniently supplied from both the tuner sub-unit
73
of the IRD
71
and an analog tuner block
83
of the DVCR
81
to the VCR sub-unit
84
of the DVCR
81
.
The above inconvenience originates from the fact that reservation information managed by an AV machine is not available for another AV machine connected via the bus
2
.
In order to overcome the above-described drawback, a CS mode is conventionally provided for the DVCR
81
. According to the CS mode, the DVCR
81
is controlled only by the controller
72
of the IRD
71
and enters the recording standby position. After the recording reservation A is input into the IRD
71
, the DVCR
81
is set in the CS mode, thereby preventing the occurrence of double-booking.
However, since the DVCR
81
set in the CS mode goes into the reservation standby position, it cannot execute processing, such as reproduction of video signals, thereby decreasing the ease of operation.
Additionally, there is no method for uniquely specifying events, such as recording reservations, transmitted to the bus
2
. It is thus necessary to generate a command for each AV machine related to the event, thereby decreasing the ease of operation.
Information (recording start time, etc.) managed by an AV machine is not reported to the other AV machines. Because of this, when the AV machines simultaneously output information to the bus
2
, the amount of information may exceed the bandwidth of the bus
2
, causing transmission errors to occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to improve the ease of reserve-recording operation and to inhibit the occurrence of double-booking by mutually searching information managed by the individual AV machines connected to a bus.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus connected to an external information processing apparatus via a network. The information processing apparatus includes a management unit for managing management information. A generation unit generates, based on first identification information for identifying the management unit and second identification information for identifying the management information within an area managed by the management unit, third identification information for identifying the management information within the network.
The aforementioned information processing apparatus may further include a storage unit for storing the management information in such a manner that the management information is readable by the external information processing apparatus via the network.
The network may be formed by using an IEEE-1394 serial data bus.
The first identification information for identifying the management unit may be a global unique ID.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus connected to an external information processing apparatus via a network. The information processing apparatus includes a management unit for managing management information. The information processing method includes the generation step of generating, based on first identification information for identifying the management unit and second identification information for identifying the management information within an area managed by the management unit, third identification information for identifying the management information within the network.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium for recording a program executable by a computer, the program for controlling an information processing apparatus connected to an external information processing apparatus via a network. The information processing apparatus includes a management unit for managing management information. The program includes the generation step of generating, based on first identification information for identifying the management unit and second identification information for identifying the management information within an area managed by the management unit, third identification information for identifying the management information within the network.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus connected to an external information processing apparatus via a network and including at least one sub-unit for executing a predetermined function. The information processing apparatus includes a generation unit for generating a provisional ID for an event which controls the sub-unit. An extraction unit extracts an event ID of an authenticated event. A comparison unit compares the provisional ID generated by the generation unit with the event ID extracted by the extraction unit. An authentication means authenticates
Horiguchi Mari
Kawamura Harumi
Yamamoto Kazuo
Coulter Kenneth R.
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Sony Corporation
LandOfFree
Information processing apparatus, information processing... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information processing apparatus, information processing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information processing apparatus, information processing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3061567