Patents by Inventor Yoko Kitahara

Yoko Kitahara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8644968
    Abstract: A content reproduction apparatus includes: a partial reproduction unit for partially reproducing only a predetermined partial reproduction range in an entire reproduction range of contents before switching to next contents to partially reproduce only a predetermined partial reproduction range in an entire reproduction range of the next contents; a creation unit for creating a status bar by superimposing a partial reproduction range bar indicating the partial reproduction range on an entire reproduction range bar indicating the entire reproduction range; a display unit for displaying a reproduction screen when the partial reproduction is performed by the partial reproduction unit; and a control unit for displaying the status bar as superimposed on the reproduction screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Kitahara, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Ryuichiro Noto
  • Patent number: 8170232
    Abstract: The present invention is equipped with a USB interface 7 for being connected to a portable music player that is an external device, a browser button 27, a rotary encoder button 26, a back button 28, CPU 31 for acquiring a content list CL from the portable music player, RAM 33 for storing the content list CL acquired by the CPU 31, and a LED processing section 42 for changing how the rotary encoder button 26 illuminates to encourage the next operation at a time when the browse button 27 is operated. Accordingly, when searching pieces of music content stored in the portable music player that is an external device, one can unknowingly understand how to operate, thereby providing good operability even for searching pieces of music content of the external portable music player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Kitahara, Fumihisa Mizuochi, Takuma Higo, Takaharu Fujii, Masaru Kataoka, Nobuo Ozawa, Tatsuya Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20110009988
    Abstract: The present invention allows a user to enjoyably select a music content, which meets the user's potential likes, for a short period of time without stressing the user. The present invention selects a group of music contents, which should be regarded as objects of reproduction, from among numerous contents, sequentially reproduces and outputs hook-portion data items (A1, B1, and C1) of the group of music contents, inserts a hook switching sound effect, which is expected to exert a user-desired effect, between adjoining ones of the hook-portion data items (A1, B1, and C1), and thus performs partial reproduction processing on the hook portions of the group of music contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoko Kitahara, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Ryosuke Ihara, Satoshi Asai
  • Publication number: 20090281645
    Abstract: A content reproduction apparatus includes: a partial reproduction unit for partially reproducing only a predetermined partial reproduction range in an entire reproduction range of contents before switching to next contents to partially reproduce only a predetermined partial reproduction range in an entire reproduction range of the next contents; a creation unit for creating a status bar by superimposing a partial reproduction range bar indicating the partial reproduction range on an entire reproduction range bar indicating the entire reproduction range; a display unit for displaying a reproduction screen when the partial reproduction is performed by the partial reproduction unit; and a control unit for displaying the status bar as superimposed on the reproduction screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoko KITAHARA, Tatsuya YAMAZAKI, Ryuichiro NOTO
  • Publication number: 20090097673
    Abstract: The present invention is equipped with a USB interface 7 for being connected to a portable music player that is an external device, a browser button 27, a rotary encoder button 26, a back button 28, CPU 31 for acquiring a content list CL from the portable music player, RAM 33 for storing the content list CL acquired by the CPU 31, and a LED processing section 42 for changing how the rotary encoder button 26 illuminates to encourage the next operation at a time when the browse button 27 is operated. Accordingly, when searching pieces of music content stored in the portable music player that is an external device, one can unknowingly understand how to operate, thereby providing good operability even for searching pieces of music content of the external portable music player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko KITAHARA, Fumihisa Mizuochi, Takuma Higo, Takaharu Fujii, Masaru Kataoka, Nobuo Ozawa, Tatsuya Yamazaki