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.

Abstract: A time-shift image distribution system includes an image server and a time-shift image requesting apparatus. The image server includes a first communication unit configured to carry out communications with the time-shift image requesting apparatus, an image database configured to store image data of captured images in association with meta information for image data of a captured image matching search-condition information, and an image providing unit configured to provide the image data of the captured image detected by the searching unit to the time-shift image requesting apparatus. The time-shift image requesting apparatus includes a second communication unit configured to carry out communications with the image server, and a unit configured to send a search request including information representing an imaging time and information for identifying a subject image as search-condition information to the image server via the second communication unit.

Abstract: Content is selected on the basis of changes of a walking tempo. The walking tempo is detected (S5). In a state determination process (S7), it is determined whether the walking tempo tends to increase, be constant, or decrease. A walking tempo corrective coefficient is calculated on the basis of the determined result and a corrective walking tempo is calculated with the walking tempo corrective coefficient (S9). It is determined whether or not music is changed on the basis of the corrective walking tempo rather than the actually detected walking tempo (S11). When music is changed, relevant music content is searched. Controls are performed in such a manner that when the walking tempo is decreasing, the foregoing state is kept for a while, when the walking tempo is increasing, music is quickly selected according to the increase of the walking tempo, and when the walking tempo is stable, music is not selected.

Abstract: A key generating method is disclosed which includes the steps of: firstly detecting first change information as first change information data; secondly detecting second change information different from the first change information as second change information data; and merging the first change information and the second change information into key information.

Abstract: A data display apparatus includes: an extraction condition setting section that sets, based on an original data row where a plurality of data are arranged in a predetermined order, an extraction condition of extraction data that is to be displayed on a predetermined display section; and an extraction data display section that displays, out of an extraction data row where the extraction data extracted from the original data row based on the extraction condition are arranged in the predetermined order, the extraction data that are within a predetermined range in a predetermined display size on the display section.

Abstract: A content filtering method for selecting a desired piece of content from a plurality of pieces of content includes the steps of associating additional information about each piece of content and reduced image data representing the piece of content with the piece of content and registering the additional information and the reduced image data in a table; retrieving a piece of content having a highest level of coincidence with the additional information from the table by using the additional information corresponding to the reduced image data specified by a user as a search key; and presenting the reduced image data about the retrieved piece of content to the user.

Abstract: A method of using contents includes the steps of setting public time information and private time information, the public time information being associated with each content and defined universally for use by a large number of unspecified users, the private time being associated with the content and defined for use by a small number of particular persons, and searching for a content according to the public time information and/or the private time information and using the content detected in the searching.

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: Disclosed herein is a content information sales management method including the steps of: causing a distribution source apparatus to distribute trial content information, trial use rules stating trial use conditions, and distribution source identification information for identifying the distribution source apparatus to a distribution destination apparatus; causing the distribution destination apparatus to upload the distribution source identification information corresponding to the trial content information to a sales source apparatus for formal content information when the distribution destination apparatus downloads the formal content information corresponding to the trial content information; and causing the sales source apparatus to update an evaluation value corresponding to the distribution source identification information in accordance with the uploaded distribution source identification information.

Abstract: A method of using contents includes the steps of setting public time information and private time information, the public time information being associated with each content and defined universally for use by a large number of unspecified users, the private time being associated with the content and defined for use by a small number of particular persons, and searching for a content according to the public time information and/or the private time information and using the content detected in the searching.

Abstract: A content-retrieval device includes first and second operation units, a display unit, storage storing contents, and a control circuit. The control circuit shows at least two thumbnails of the contents stored in the storage and an image of a mark indicating one of the thumbnails on the display unit, performs filtering, when showing the thumbnails, for the shown thumbnails under a predetermined selection condition, changes the strength of the selection condition under which the filtering is performed when the first operation unit is operated, and changes the thumbnail indicated by the mark image to another of the thumbnails when the second operation unit is operated.

Abstract: A time-shift image distribution system includes an image server and a time-shift image requesting apparatus. The image server includes a first communication unit configured to carry out communications with the time-shift image requesting apparatus, an image database configured to store image data of captured images in association with meta information for image data of a captured image matching search-condition information, and an image providing unit configured to provide the image data of the captured image detected by the searching unit to the time-shift image requesting apparatus. The time-shift image requesting apparatus includes a second communication unit configured to carry out communications with the image server, and a unit configured to send a search request including information representing an imaging time and information for identifying a subject image as search-condition information to the image server via the second communication unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including, a wireless communication block configured to execute wireless communication with a mate terminal device, an information exchange generation condition storage block configured to record a condition of information exchange with the mate terminal device, an information exchange log storage block configured to record a log of information exchange with the mate terminal device, and an information exchange generation determination block configured to determine whether to execute information exchange with the mate terminal device by referencing the information exchange condition recorded in the information exchange generation condition storage block and the log of information exchange recorded in the information exchange log storage block.

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: 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: 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 data display apparatus includes: an extraction condition setting section that sets, based on an original data row where a plurality of data are arranged in a predetermined order, an extraction condition of extraction data that is to be displayed on a predetermined display section; and an extraction data display section that displays, out of an extraction data row where the extraction data extracted from the original data row based on the extraction condition are arranged in the predetermined order, the extraction data that are within a predetermined range in a predetermined display size on the display section.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus having an input configured to receive a first operation and a second operation input by a user, a playback unit configured to obtain predetermined data and play back the data based on the operation input by the user from the input; and a display control unit configured to control, in correspondence with a virtual hierarchical structure for classifying the predetermined data, a display of a display screen indicating each hierarchy level, and for controlling a display of a predetermined mark in the display screen. The display control unit also controls the display of the predetermined mark corresponding to the predetermined data which is played back by the playback unit in a manner different from other non-selected marks while the predetermined mark is being selected.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to allow a client to make a request for music data stored in a server and to receive it and play it back. A client program 421 controls the sending of a request signal to a server 401, the reception and playback processing of music data from the server 401, and the display of a GUI performed by a display controller 426, and outputs the music data received by a communication unit 423 from the server 401 to an audio data converter 424. A server program 411 controls the sending of music data to the client 402, and registration of information in a music database 415, a link information database 416, and a ranking information database 417, searches the music database 415 for the requested music data, and sends the music data to the client 402. The present invention can be applied to a personal computer, a PDA, a cellular telephone, a desk-top playback device, a portable playback device, and a simplified playback device.