Abstract: First and second devices establish communication including conversation therebetween through a network. The first device transmits to the second device a content data list of a TV broadcast program (content data) and the like stored in its storing unit. At that time, the first device receives from the second device a content data list of a TV broadcast program and the like, the content data list being read from a storing unit of the second device. Similarly, the second device receives the content data list from the first device. Each of the first and second devices compares the content data list in its own storing unit and the received content data list, and based on a comparison result, searches its own storing unit. Through the search, identical content data owned by both of the first and second devices is displayed at the first and second devices.

Abstract: An agent interface controls display of an agent and receives a request from a user. A search engine searches for an action script describing a procedure of controlling the agent interface in accordance with the request input from the agent interface. An action script executing engine executes the action script searched by the search engine. Thus, since action scripts adapted to be used for the same kind but different types of electrical household appliances are prepared in action script DB, for example, the different types of electrical household appliances can be operated by the same procedure and interfaces can be unified.

Abstract: There is provided an encoding and decoding apparatus which can provide a high quality of reproduction of sound. There are provided an encoding section and a decoding section. A block length determining section of the encoding section time-sharingly divides an input signal into blocks having a block length corresponding to the degree of change of the input signal. A frequency band dividing section divides the signal of each block into a plurality of frequency bands. A bit allocating section obtains a masking threshold value-to-noise ratio of each frequency band from the magnitude of the power of each frequency band reflecting a psychoacoustic characteristic, and determines the number of quantization bits to be allocated to each frequency band based on the magnitude of the masking threshold value-to-noise ratio. A quantizing section generates a code string by quantizing the signal while allocating a specified amount of bits to each frequency band based on information from the bit allocating section.