Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a binarization unit that binarizes a selected image region based on prescribed criteria into an image trimming target white pixel region and a background black pixel region, a hole filling unit that fills a hole of the white pixel region by converting a black pixel surrounded by the white pixel region into the white pixel, a distance conversion unit that calculates a distance value from each white pixel to the black pixel region, a skeleton extraction unit that extracts points indicating a skeleton of the white pixel region according to each distance value, and a trimming outline determination unit that excludes a less significant point based on prescribed conditions, draws an oval or perfect circle according to each distance value, centered at a non-excluded point, and determines an outer edge of ovals or perfect circles as an outline for trimming a trimming target image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a content providing system, a receiving apparatus and method, a storage medium, and a program, which enable to perform a variety of contents provisions. An operational terminal 21 can obtain, from a storage terminal 1, contents corresponding to utilization information sent from an operational terminal 11 that is receiving provision of predetermined contents from a storage terminal 1. That is, if a user 23 is interested in contents that a user 13 is watching and listening to on the operational terminal 11, and desires to watch and listen to it, the user 23 can watch and listen to on the operational terminal 21, the contents that the user 13 is watching and listening to, by holding the operational terminal 21 very close to the operational terminal 11, or holding the operational terminal 11 very close to the operational terminal 21.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a content providing system, a receiving apparatus and method, a storage medium, and a program, which enable to perform a variety of contents provisions. An operational terminal 21 can obtain, from a storage terminal 1, contents corresponding to utilization information sent from an operational terminal 11 that is receiving provision of predetermined contents from a storage terminal 1. That is, if a user 23 is interested in contents that a user 13 is watching and listening to on the operational terminal 11, and desires to watch and listen to it, the user 23 can watch and listen to on the operational terminal 21, the contents that the user 13 is watching and listening to, by holding the operational terminal 21 very close to the operational terminal 11, or holding the operational terminal 11 very close to the operational terminal 21.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system, an information processing apparatus and method which enable communication setting to be performed through easy operations. An access point 11 has communication setting information for allowing wireless communication to be performed between a terminal apparatus 13 and the access point 11. The communication setting information is supplied to a tag 12 through contactless communication at close range between an IC tag reader/writer 21 and the tag (IC card) 12 and stored therein. When the tag 12 is put over an IC tag reader/writer 31 of the terminal apparatus 13, the IC tag reader/writer 31 reads the communication setting information from the tag 12 and stores it. The terminal apparatus 13 performs setting for communicating with the access point 11 based on the stored communication setting information and then performs wireless communication with the access point 11.

Abstract: There is provided a display device for displaying a plurality of contents in a predetermined display area. The display device includes: a time difference calculating unit which calculates a time difference between the contents adjacent in terms of time based on time information possessed by the contents; and a content display unit which displays the plurality of contents at an interval corresponding to the time difference along the depth direction of the predetermined display area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a content provision system, an information processing apparatus and method, an output apparatus and method, and a program therefor, which makes it possible to use content easily and quickly. When a DVD disc 3 is inserted into a DVD player 2, a message indicating the fact is broadcasted from the DVD player 2 to a TV 4-1 and a TV 4-2, which are all other devices connected to a network 1. In the TV 4-1 and the TV 4-2, a message notifying that a medium storing available content was newly found is displayed on a screen thereof, respectively. When reproduction of the found content is instructed by a user in the TV 4-1, the DVD player 2 is requested by the TV 4-1 to provide the content, and image of the content provided in response thereto is displayed on the TV 4-1. The present invention can be applied to storage equipment including a DVD player and a personal computer and display equipment including a TV set.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a content storage unit storing a plurality of pieces of content; a background-image storage unit storing a background image corresponding to the plurality of pieces of content stored in the content storage unit; an attribute-information storage unit storing attribute information for each of the plurality of pieces of content in association with the plurality of pieces of content, the attribute information including a corresponding position in the background image; a classification unit classifying the plurality of pieces of content into one or more clusters on the basis of the attribute information; and a rendering unit rendering images indicating the classified pieces of content in a predetermined order on a cluster-by-cluster basis and rendering an area of the background image, the area including the corresponding position included in the attribute information of content corresponding to at least one of the images rendered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and method for controlling a communicating device by sending predetermined command data without directly operating the communicating device. In step S6, a PDA sends command data described in XML format concerning the start of a Bluetooth function to a personal computer via a reader/writer. In steps S24 and S25, the reader/writer receives the command data sent from the PDA, and requests the personal computer to start the Bluetooth-function. In steps S42 and S43, the personal computer starts the Bluetooth communication function based on the request from the reader/writer. The present invention is applicable to a wireless communication apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic device system of the invention has a controlling device and a controlled device interconnected via a data bus which complies with a predetermined communication format and which allows data to be exchanged between the devices. In a command transmission/reception transaction, the controlling device transmits a command to the controlled device. If an interim response is returned from the controlled device, the controlling device regards the transaction as complete and terminates the process without waiting for receipt of a final response from the controlled device.

Abstract: An UPnP control point is connected to an IEEE802 network, and 1394 equipment is connected to an IEEE1394 network. The IEEE802 network and the IEEE1394 network are connected to each other through an UPnP device functioning as a bridge. The UPnP device receives from a general bus input plug a packet transmitted from the UPnP control point, converts it to a format of the IEEE1394 network, and transmits it from an output plug through the IEEE1394 network to the 1394 equipment. The UPnP device stores the association relationship of the plugs.

Abstract: In a non-contact IC card, one block includes 16 bytes as a unit of reading/writing information, and the writing of the information up to 8 blocks which is a maximum simultaneous write size is guaranteed. The structure of a TOC (Table Of Contents) is built on a memory space of the card. When information exceeding the maximum simultaneous write size is written in, single transaction completes the corresponding TOC rewrite so as to prevent contents of the memory from being damaged even if the card is removed from a write device in the middle of writing. When writing data larger than a predetermined size, even if communication between devices is interrupted at any timing, the data consistency can be guaranteed suitably.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communications apparatus and method, a storage medium and a program that make it possible for the user to select a device to be made a communications partner more quickly and reliably. The searcher device 21 performs a search so as to detect only one device. If the response message from the searchee device 32 is obtained by the searcher device 21, on the display section of the searcher device 21 is displayed a selection screen for selecting whether or not to make the searchee device 32 a communications partner. If the searchee device 32 is not selected as a communications partner, the searcher device 21 performs another search so as to detect two devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a content provision system, an information processing apparatus and method, an output apparatus and method, and a program therefor, which makes it possible to use content easily and quickly. When a DVD disc 3 is inserted into a DVD player 2, a message indicating the fact is broadcasted from the DVD player 2 to a TV 4-1 and a TV 4-2, which are all other devices connected to a network 1. In the TV 4-1 and the TV 4-2, a message notifying that a medium storing available content was newly found is displayed on a screen thereof, respectively. When reproduction of the found content is instructed by a user in the TV 4-1, the DVD player 2 is requested by the TV 4-1 to provide the content, and image of the content provided in response thereto is displayed on the TV 4-1. The present invention can be applied to storage equipment including a DVD player and a personal computer and display equipment including a TV set.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system, an information processing apparatus and method which enable communication setting to be performed through easy operations. An access point 11 has communication setting information for allowing wireless communication to be performed between a terminal apparatus 13 and the access point 11. The communication setting information is supplied to a tag 12 through contactless communication at close range between an IC tag reader/writer 21 and the tag (IC card) 12 and stored therein. When the tag 12 is put over an IC tag reader/writer 31 of the terminal apparatus 13, the IC tag reader/writer 31 reads the communication setting information from the tag 12 and stores it. The terminal apparatus 13 performs setting for communicating with the access point 11 based on the stored communication setting information and then performs wireless communication with the access point 11.

Abstract: Information on the protocols supported by a target device and the address thereof are acquired by a simple operation, and communication is performed using a supported protocol. A device (1) 1 includes: a non-contact IC interface 2, which requests supported protocol information 8 of a device (2) 4 within a predetermined communication area in a network, and which acquires supported protocol information 8 from the device (2) 4; an IEEE 802.11b interface 3, which performs transmission signal processing and reception signal processing; test communication element, which performs test communication using the IEEE 802.11b interface 3; and communication element which, when test communication using the test communication element is possible, performs communication using a protocol of the protocol information 8 acquired by the protocol acquisition element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a content providing system, a receiving apparatus and method, a storage medium, and a program, which enable to perform a variety of contents provisions. An operational terminal 21 can obtain, from a storage terminal 1, contents corresponding to utilization information sent from an operational terminal 11 that is receiving provision of predetermined contents from a storage terminal 1. That is, if a user 23 is interested in contents that a user 13 is watching and listening to on the operational terminal 11, and desires to watch and listen to it, the user 23 can watch and listen to on the operational terminal 21, the contents that the user 13 is watching and listening to, by holding the operational terminal 21 very close to the operational terminal 11, or holding the operational terminal 11 very close to the operational terminal 21.

Abstract: Information on the protocols supported by a target device and the address thereof are acquired by a simple operation, and communication is performed using a supported protocol. A device (1) 1 includes: a non-contact IC interface 2, which requests supported protocol information 8 of a device (2) 4 within a predetermined communication area in a network, and which acquires supported protocol information 8 from the device (2) 4; an IEEE 802.11b interface 3, which performs transmission signal processing and reception signal processing; test communication element, which performs test communication using the IEEE 802.11b interface 3; and communication element which, when test communication using the test communication element is possible, performs communication using a protocol of the protocol information 8 acquired by the protocol acquisition element.

Abstract: In a non-contact IC card, one block includes 16 bytes as a unit of reading/writing information, and the writing of the information up to 8 blocks which is a maximum simultaneous write size is guaranteed. The structure of a TOC (Table Of Contents) is built on a memory space of the card. When information exceeding the maximum simultaneous write size is written in, single transaction completes the corresponding TOC rewrite so as to prevent contents of the memory from being damaged even if the card is removed from a write device in the middle of writing. When writing data larger than a predetermined size, even if communication between devices is interrupted at any timing, the data consistency can be guaranteed suitably.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and method for controlling a communicating device by sending predetermined command data without directly operating the communicating device. In step S6, a PDA sends command data described in XML format concerning the start of a Bluetooth function to a personal computer via a reader/writer. In steps S24 and S25, the reader/writer receives the command data sent from the PDA, and requests the personal computer to start the Bluetooth-function. In steps S42 and S43, the personal computer starts the Bluetooth communication function based on the request from the reader/writer. The present invention is applicable to a wireless communication apparatus.

Abstract: A controlling apparatus capable of synchronized power supply control over a plurality of electronic devices which are connected to the controlling apparatus via a bus pursuant to a predetermined communication format and which are fabricated by a plurality of venders including those different from the vender of the controlling apparatus. If any one of the electronic devices is selected regardless of its vender as an input by the controlling apparatus and is judged to have a link only with the controlling apparatus, the electronic device in question is switched on or off synchronously by the controlling apparatus.