Abstract: The present invention provides an information presentation method for presenting specific information in a basic presentation frame image on a display, the method comprising the steps of: indicating a time axis in the basic presentation frame image in one direction of the basic presentation frame image; providing a presentation area extended along the time axis in the basic presentation frame image; and presenting the specific information in the presentation area at a location along the time axis indicated by and corresponding to chronological information pertained to the specific information.

Abstract: A content providing method includes the steps of preparing, on a network, a bulletin board server that provides an electronic bulletin board and a content server that accommodates content; enabling, by the bulletin board server, a second user to make a post on a topic when a first user introduces the topic under a predetermined title on the electronic bulletin board; outputting, by the bulletin board server, a list indicating recommended content as a playlist to an apparatus of a user who accesses via the network when the second user posts information on the recommended content that suits the title in the topic; and outputting, by the content server, designated content to the apparatus of the user to which the playlist is output when the content included in the playlist is designated.

Abstract: A communication terminal includes a communication unit configured to carry out communications with a communication terminal of an intended counterparty; a detector configured to detect information reflecting a status of a user of the own communication terminal; a condition checker configured to check whether a predetermined condition is satisfied by comparing information reflecting a status of a user of the communication terminal of the counterparty, received via the communication unit, with the information detected by the detector; and a controller configured to exercise control so that a communication circuit is established with the communication terminal of the counterparty via the communication unit when it is determined by the condition checker that the condition is satisfied.

Abstract: To enable a lot of audio data and image data such as a still image and a moving image to be effectively and efficiently used. When audio data accumulated in a material database 21 is replayed, a controller 10 acquires the metadata added to the audio data to be replayed from the material database, refer to the metadata of image data based on the above metadata to thereby search image data intimately related to the audio data, controls a voice replay system such as an audio decoder 32 and the like and an image replay system such as an image decoder 31 and the like, and replay the audio data to be replayed and the searched image data in relation with each other.

Abstract: A method of generating a table in which data having time or period information is laid out at corresponding positions along a chronological axis includes the steps of displaying a table generating screen including a table generating area; displaying the chronological axis in the table generating area; obtaining a plurality of pieces of the data according to a selecting instruction; and generating the table by laying out the plurality of pieces of the data in the table generating area along the chronological axis on the basis of the time or period information of the individual pieces of the data.

Abstract: A content recommendation system includes first and second communication devices which are connected to each other and in which content recommendation information is transmitted and received between both devices. The first communication device includes a storage section for storing pieces of content recommendation information to be transmitted, a selecting section for selecting a piece of content recommendation information to be transmitted from the storage section, and a transmitting section for transmitting the selected piece of content recommendation information. The second communication device includes a receiving section for receiving the piece of content recommendation information transmitted from the first communication device, and a storage section for storing the received piece of content recommendation information.

Abstract: Communications is executed between users through wireless terminals thereof without fear of being located by each other. On terminal 1x, area 4 in which wireless communication is enabled with terminal 1x is divided into proximity area 6 and external area 7 and the radius (distance between boundary 5 and terminal 1x) is temporally varied by random number. A control block of terminal 1x detects terminals located in side the communicable area 4 and in the communication enabled state and processes the other terminals located inside proximity area 6 as out-of-service-area among the detected other terminals, not displaying the users of these other terminals located inside proximity area 6 onto display screen 2x. The control block processes only other terminals located inside external area 7 as in-service area and displays the users of these other terminals onto display screen 2x.

Abstract: A data display apparatus includes: an axis display section that displays an axis indicating a predetermined range on a display section; a data association section that associates a plurality of data with positions on the axis based on attribute information of the data, the plurality of data being different from one another; and a data display control section that arranges, out of the plurality of data, a certain number of data associated with arbitrary areas on the axis in a predetermined order and displays the certain number of data.

Abstract: To enable a lot of audio data and image data such as a still image and a moving image to be effectively and efficiently used. When audio data accumulated in a material database 21 is replayed, a controller 10 acquires the metadata added to the audio data to be replayed from the material database, refer to the metadata of image data based on the above metadata to thereby search image data intimately related to the audio data, controls a voice replay system such as an audio decoder 32 and the like and an image replay system such as an image decoder 31 and the like, and replay the audio data to be replayed and the searched image data in relation with each other.

Abstract: A content playback apparatus includes: a display section that displays a plurality of indicators associated with a plurality of pieces of content, and a specifier to be used to specify one of the indicators; a playback section that plays back the piece of content associated with the indicator specified by the specifier; a switch section that switches, in accordance with a user's operation, what the specifier specifies to new the indicator; and a playback control section that controls the playback section such that if the user's operation switches, while the piece of content associated with the indicator specified by the specifier is played, what the specifier specifies to next the indicator and the user's subsequent operation switches, within a predetermined period of time from when the previous switch is completed, what the specifier specifies to subsequent the indicator, the playback section keeps playing back the piece of content.

Abstract: A player device uses playlists having names of contents. Users can update the playlists via network. The player device includes a storage device for storing digital data of the contents, a reception/reception circuit for downloading playlists, a display for displaying the titles of contents included in the playlists, a pointing device for specifying displayed titles, a circuit for retrieving digital data from the storage device in the event that digital data of a content specified by the pointing device is stored within the storage device, and an output circuit for outputting the retrieved digital data.

Abstract: A player device uses playlists having names of contents. Users can update the playlists via network. The player device includes a storage device for storing digital data of the contents, a reception/reception circuit for downloading playlists, a display for displaying the titles of contents included in the playlists, a pointing device for specifying displayed titles, a circuit for retrieving digital data from the storage device in the event that digital data of a content specified by the pointing device is stored within the storage device, and an output circuit for outputting the retrieved digital data.

Abstract: A content display method is disclosed. The content display method includes the steps of: accepting an instruction input to create a target calendar; extracting a content that indication information has to be displayed in an elapsed period having already passed and a content that indication information has to be displayed in a non-elapsed period to pass from now on in the target calendar based on the instruction input accepted through the accepting step; and arranging the indication information of each of the contents extracted in the extracting step in a corresponding date in a target calendar and displaying the target calendar on a display device.

Abstract: A content playback apparatus includes: a display section that displays a plurality of indicators associated with a plurality of pieces of content, and a specifier to be used to specify one of the indicators; a playback section that plays back the piece of content associated with the indicator specified by the specifier; a switch section that switches, in accordance with a user's operation, what the specifier specifies to new the indicator; and a playback control section that controls the playback section such that if the user's operation switches, while the piece of content associated with the indicator specified by the specifier is played, what the specifier specifies to next the indicator and the user's subsequent operation switches, within a predetermined period of time from when the previous switch is completed, what the specifier specifies to subsequent the indicator, the playback section keeps playing back the piece of content.

Abstract: An information exchanging device includes a physical information measuring unit, a script executing unit, a radio communication unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The physical information measuring unit is configured to measure physical information of a user. The script executing unit is configured to execute a script of contents based on said physical information. The radio communication unit is configured to transmit and receive data to and from another device. The control unit is configured to establish a connection between the information exchanging device and the other device by said radio communication unit when the other device is present in a communicating range, receive a predetermined script via said radio communication unit from the other device to which the information exchanging device is connected, make said script executing unit execute the received script, and transmit a result of execution to the other device.

Abstract: A imaging device includes an imaging element; a memory unit configured to temporarily store pieces of image data captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element; a comparator configured to compare the image data recorded in the memory unit to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to a first threshold has occurred; a determining unit configured to determine whether the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold by comparing the image data recorded in the memory unit when an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has been detected; and a controller configured to exercise control so that image data captured via the imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined that the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

Abstract: A content searching and presentation method in a terminal of an original user having a playlist includes the steps of accessing a playlist of a different user from the terminal and obtaining the playlist of the different user; computing a similarity between the obtained playlist of the different user and the playlist of the original user, which is a playlist owned by the terminal, in accordance with a predetermined computation equation; and presenting, as a searched result, content that is contained in the playlist of the different user and that is not contained in the playlist owned by the terminal when the computed similarity exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An encryption technique in which a transmission device and a reception device use solutions generated such that those generated in the same order are assumed to be the same is improved so as to enhance versatility without undermining security. An initial solution respectively used by two communication devices involved in communication in order to generate solutions is sent from one communicating device to the other. Both communication devices generate a mutually agreed-upon number of solutions from the initial solution and set the last solution among the generated solutions as a new initial solution, and using solutions generated based on the new initial solution, the transmission device performs encryption while the reception device performs decryption.

Abstract: State information of a user is detected via a biometric information sensor and is stored, in a nonvolatile memory, in association with a content identifier of content that is being reproduced for the user when the state information is detected. An information request, including the state information of another user at another terminal apparatus, is generated and transmitted. Provided information transmitted in response to the information request is received and provided to the user. When an information request is received by the user, information is extracted from the nonvolatile memory based on the state information of another user. Provided information that is based on the extracted information is transmitted to another user.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprising a first sending/receiving means for a first information processing apparatus; a second sending/receiving means for a second information processing apparatus; a first recording means for recording normal content data and restricted content data; a second recording means for recording information required for selecting data; an updating means for updating the information recorded; and a selection means for selecting data to be sent to said first information processing apparatus from the first content data and the second content data recorded by said first recording means based on the information recorded by said second recording means in response to a request signal from said first information processing apparatus received by said first sending/receiving means.