Patents by Inventor Kotaro Asaka

Kotaro Asaka 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: 10901572
    Abstract: A reproduction device including a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data including at least one of audio, video, and text for which attribute data is assigned for each of a different plurality of attributes; a display unit; and a control unit configured to make the display unit display a playback screen containing at least one attribute data among the plurality of attribute data assigned to the content data when reproducing the content data and, when one attribute data among the attribute data composing the playback screen is selected, switch the display content of the content from the playback screen to the list relating to the selected attribute data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Susumu Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 10642447
    Abstract: A reproduction device including a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data including at least one of audio, video, and text for which attribute data is assigned for each of a different plurality of attributes; a display unit; and a control unit configured to make the display unit display a playback screen containing at least one attribute data among the plurality of attribute data assigned to the content data when reproducing the content data and, when one attribute data among the attribute data composing the playback screen is selected, switch the display content of the content from the playback screen to the list relating to the selected attribute data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Susumu Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 9619111
    Abstract: There is provided a content selection view in which the user can select a content intuitively and easily. When the user places a touch pen in touch with a touch panel in a position corresponding to a position P1 in a map and drags the touch pen along a locus to a position P2 with the touch pen being kept in touch with the touch panel, PD will judge that a grid is still an option. Thereafter, when the user takes the touch pen off the touch panel surface, the PD will select the grid corresponding to the position P2 where the touch pen has finally been in touch with the touch panel. The PD will output not only content data assigned to the selected grid but a sound corresponding to predetermined content data even while the grid is still an option. The present invention is applicable to a portable recorder/player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
    Inventors: Junichiro Sakata, Kotaro Asaka, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takashi Kinouchi, Takeshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8922508
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, a method may obtain metadata associated with corresponding values of a first characteristic and a second characteristic of a plurality of content elements. A display including a plurality of display elements may be generated, and the content elements may be assigned to corresponding ones of the display elements, based on a comparison between first and second characteristic values and first and second characteristic value ranges. A first signal may be generated to display a representation of the display to a user, and a selection of a display element may be received from the user. The method may obtain a content element assigned to the selected display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
    Inventors: Junichiro Sakata, Kotaro Asaka, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takashi Kinouchi, Takeshi Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20140157198
    Abstract: A reproduction device including a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data including at least one of audio, video, and text for which attribute data is assigned for each of a different plurality of attributes; a display unit; and a control unit configured to make the display unit display a playback screen containing at least one attribute data among the plurality of attribute data assigned to the content data when reproducing the content data and, when one attribute data among the attribute data composing the playback screen is selected, switch the display content of the content from the playback screen to the list relating to the selected attribute data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Susumu Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 8717301
    Abstract: There is provided a content selection view in which the user can select a content intuitively and easily. When the user places a touch pen in touch with a touch panel in a position corresponding to a position P1 in a map and drags the touch pen along a locus to a position P2 with the touch pen being kept in touch with the touch panel, PD will judge that a grid is still an option. Thereafter, when the user takes the touch pen off the touch panel surface, the PD will select the grid corresponding to the position P2 where the touch pen has finally been in touch with the touch panel. The PD will output not only content data assigned to the selected grid but a sound corresponding, to predetermined content data even while the grid is still an option. The present invention is applicable to a portable recorder/player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
    Inventors: Junichiro Sakata, Kotaro Asaka, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takashi Kinouchi, Takeshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8700635
    Abstract: An electronic device, data processing method, data control method, and content data processing system enabling a user to search for a track reproduced in the past, but with a forgotten title name and an artist name. A CPU displays on an LCD panel a reproduction history screen displaying a number of tracks reproduced that day on a calendar. By a user operation via an input device, the CPU switches the reproduction history screen to another reproduction history screen displaying a list of tracks reproduced on a certain other day as the reproduction history list. It reproduces the track selected by the user and allows editing of its attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kinouchi, Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka
  • Patent number: 8316299
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus performing a predetermined process in accordance with an operation of a touch panel on a display, includes: display control means for displaying, on the display, an item associated with predetermined content; detection means for detecting a contact of a user with the touch panel; determination means for determining whether or not the contact of the user is released, the contact being detected by the detection means; selection means for completing, when the determination means determines that the contact of the user is released, a selection of the item displayed by the display control means on a position where the contact of the user was detected by the detection means until just before; and playback means for playing back content associated with the item whose selection is completed by the selection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
    Inventors: Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Susumu Takatsuka, Junichiro Sakata, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takeshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8312025
    Abstract: In a PC (100), an information acquisition device (120) acquires a plurality of meta information items. A storage device (130) stores a plurality of modules each having rules defined for creating a sort-ready text according to readings representative of how the corresponding acquired meta information item is read. A sort-ready text creation device (140) creates automatically the sort-ready text for each of the meta information items acquired by use of at least one of the stored modules which includes rules applicable to predetermined conditions. A sort execution device (150) sorts each of the meta information items based on the sort-ready text which has been created automatically, thereby automatically creating sorted meta information. An initial information creation device (160) creates initial information including an initial of each of the meta information items before adding the created initial information to each of the meta information items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi
  • Publication number: 20120240047
    Abstract: A reproduction device including a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data including at least one of audio, video, and text for which attribute data is assigned for each of a different plurality of attributes; a display unit; and a control unit configured to make the display unit display a playback screen containing at least one attribute data among the plurality of attribute data assigned to the content data when reproducing the content data and, when one attribute data among the attribute data composing the playback screen is selected, switch the display content of the content from the playback screen to the list relating to the selected attribute data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Susumu Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 8256014
    Abstract: When a PC 10 connects to a PD 20, the PC 10 decides whether or not the PD 20 holds a group ID and if the PC 10 decides PD 20 holds the group ID, PC 10 decides whether or not the group ID held in the PC 10 and the group ID held in the PD 20 coincide with each other. If the both IDs are not decided that they don't coincide with each other, the PC 10 acquires a device ID corresponding to PD 20 from PD 20 and transfers the device ID and a terminal ID of the PC 10 to a server apparatus 32. Then the PC 10 receives, from the server apparatus 32, a user link completion information representative that an association between first user ID corresponding to the terminal ID and second user ID corresponding to the device ID is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Kori, Takashi Kawakami, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka
  • Patent number: 8219928
    Abstract: A reproduction device including a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data including at least one of audio, video, and text for which attribute data is assigned for each of a different plurality of attributes; a display unit; and a control unit configured to make the display unit display a playback screen containing at least one attribute data among the plurality of attribute data assigned to the content data when reproducing the content data and, when one attribute data among the attribute data composing the playback screen is selected, switch the display content of the content from the playback screen to the list relating to the selected attribute data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Susumu Takatsuka
  • Publication number: 20120131506
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, a method may obtain metadata associated with corresponding values of a first characteristic and a second characteristic of a plurality of content elements. A display including a plurality of display elements may be generated, and the content elements may be assigned to corresponding ones of the display elements, based on a comparison between first and second characteristic values and first and second characteristic value ranges. A first signal may be generated to display a representation of the display to a user, and a selection of a display element may be received from the user. The method may obtain a content element assigned to the selected display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Junichiro SAKATA, Kotaro ASAKA, Susumu TAKATSUKA, Hideo TSUKAZAKI, Takashi KINOUCHI, Takeshi OZAWA
  • Patent number: 8180731
    Abstract: An information-processing apparatus, reproduction apparatus, communication method and computer program are disclosed wherein an evaluation value can be added automatically to contents stored in a storage apparatus or medium. The information-processing apparatus comprising an acquisition section which acquires, from a portable reproduction apparatus which is capable of reproducing contents data, reproduction history information of the contents data in the portable reproduction apparatus. An evaluation value arithmetic operation section arithmetically operates a computed evaluation value corresponding to the content data based on the reproduction history information acquired by the acquisition section. A transfer section transfers the computed evaluation value arithmetically operated by the evaluation value arithmetic operation section to the portable reproduction apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Konno, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takashi Kinouchi, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kawakami, Yasuharu Seki
  • Publication number: 20110225175
    Abstract: In a PC (100), an information acquisition device (120) acquires a plurality of meta information items. A storage device (130) stores a plurality of modules each having rules defined for creating a sort-ready text according to readings representative of how the corresponding acquired meta information item is read. A sort-ready text creation device (140) creates automatically the sort-ready text for each of the meta information items acquired by use of at least one of the stored modules which includes rules applicable to predetermined conditions. A sort execution device (150) sorts each of the meta information items based on the sort-ready text which has been created automatically, thereby automatically creating sorted meta information. An initial information creation device (160) creates initial information including an initial of each of the meta information items before adding the created initial information to each of the meta information items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 7890520
    Abstract: An information-processing apparatus to connect to a reproduction apparatus, store contents in a host database having attributes of contents stored in a content storage section, identify contents stored in a reproduction apparatus, extract attributes of identified contents of the reproduction apparatus from the host database, create plural tables of different types, and transfer the created tables to the reproduction apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kinouchi, Takamichi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20100332845
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively performing at least one of encryption or decryption of data and for requesting a process. An information processing server includes a communication unit configured to receive from an information processing apparatus a processing request and a cryptographic key, and includes first and second storage units configured to temporarily store the received cryptographic key and to store data. The information processing server also includes a process determining unit configured to determine a type of process requested based on the processing request, and an encryption processing unit configured to selectively perform, based on the determined type of process requested, at least one of encryption or decryption on the stored data using the cryptographic key. The cryptographic key temporarily stored in the first storage unit is deleted after the at least one of encryption or decryption on the stored data has been selectively performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kotaro Asaka
  • Patent number: 7801818
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a content-providing system, information-processing apparatus, information-processing methods and programs which are capable of keeping up with changes in content value. A license server 221 transmits a utilization condition and a price table to a terminal 211. The terminal 211 has set contents stored in advance in a database 212. In an offline environment, the terminal 211 is capable of utilizing desired contents by using an electronic point count. The terminal 211 transmits information on contents used by the terminal 211 to the license server 221. The license server 221 collects a history of utilizations of contents in the terminal 211, extracts apparatus favorite contents for the terminal 211 from a database and properly transmits the favorite contents as well as price data reflecting changes in price to the terminal 211. The present invention is thus suitable for a system for providing contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka, Akira Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20090113560
    Abstract: When a PC 10 connects to a PD 20, the PC 10 decides whether or not the PD 20 holds a group ID and if the PC 10 decides PD 20 holds the group ID, PC 10 decides whether or not the group ID held in the PC 10 and the group ID held in the PD 20 coincide with each other. If the both IDs are not decided that they don't coincide with each other, the PC 10 acquires a device ID corresponding to PD 20 from PD 20 and transfers the device ID and a terminal ID of the PC 10 to a server apparatus 32. Then the PC 10 receives, from the server apparatus 32, a user link completion information representative that an association between first user ID corresponding to the terminal ID and second user ID corresponding to the device ID is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Takayuki Kori, Takashi Kawakami, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Kotaro Asaka
  • Publication number: 20070091357
    Abstract: An information-processing apparatus, reproduction apparatus, communication method and computer program are disclosed wherein an evaluation value can be added automatically to contents stored in a storage apparatus or medium. The information-processing apparatus comprising an acquisition section which acquires, from a portable reproduction apparatus which is capable of reproducing contents data, reproduction history information of the contents data in the portable reproduction apparatus. An evaluation value arithmetic operation section arithmetically operates a computed evaluation value corresponding to the content data based on the reproduction history information acquired by the acquisition section. A transfer section transfers the computed evaluation value arithmetically operated by the evaluation value arithmetic operation section to the portable reproduction apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Konno, Susumu Takatsuka, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takashi Kinouchi, Kotaro Asaka, Takashi Kawakami, Yasuharu Seki