Abstract: An information processing unit includes an application data receiving buffer to temporarily store data transmitted from a client device for initiating a connection, an application data receiving section to acquire the data transmitted from the client device from the application data receiving buffer and transmit the data to an upper layer application, and a flow control reception management section to transfer the data transmitted from the client device to the application data receiving buffer and monitor a free space in the application data receiving buffer and supply a data size receivable by the application data receiving buffer to the client device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that, in transmission and playback of content between a server and a client, efficiently executes playing back part of content, such as an impressive portion, is provided. By setting index information as partial data region identification information in property information corresponding to content retained by the server, when a content request from the client includes partial playback specification information, the index information is acquired from the property information corresponding to the specified content, and the content is acquired and transmitted to the client. This configuration enables the client to enjoy playback of content of only particular partial data such as an impressive portion of content received from a server or a user's favorite portion.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus including a search processing section for causing a transmission/reception section to execute processing of transmitting a search request including a search condition to each of one or more information management devices, causing the transmission/reception section to execute processing of receiving, as a response to the search request and from each of the one or more information management devices via a network, content information corresponding to the search condition from among pieces of content information and management subject identification information for identifying the information management device which manages the content information, and correlating the management subject identification information with content identification information and content-related information that are included in the content information received by the transmission/reception section and causing a storage section to store the correlated management subject identificatio

Abstract: In a metadata collection system comprising a plurality of content management servers each capable of managing content and content metadata as local content and managing content metadata stored in another content management server as reference content and a metadata collection apparatus connected with the plurality of content management servers to collect metadata from the plurality of content management servers, the metadata collection apparatus collects metadata from the individual content management servers based upon server information held at the content management servers and category identifiers appended to tree structures generated at the content management servers by individually referencing the plurality of content management servers.

Abstract: In view of the fact that devices connected on a home network are located in home, that is, at close range and therefore a user can physically access the devices within a relatively short period of time, identifying whether or not a home server for distributing the contents and a client terminal using the contents are connected to the same home network based on whether or not they can share access to the same physical medium within a short period of time. The authenticity of devices connected on a home network connected to an external network via a router is authenticated.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus and method that generate a MAC list that serves as an access control list efficiently without burdening a user. A MAC list registration processing request packet is automatically transmitted by using as a trigger either a power-on process of the power source of a client apparatus connected to a network or an activation process of a specific application, e.g., an execution application for services using a home network. A server performs a registration process by acquiring information such as a MAC address from the received packet in accordance with a state of empty slots in the MAC list. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily and correctly generate the MAC list, which serves as the access control list, without burdening a user.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus including a search processing section for causing a transmission/reception section to execute processing of transmitting a search request including a search condition to each of one or more information management devices, causing the transmission/reception section to execute processing of receiving, as a response to the search request and from each of the one or more information management devices via a network, content information corresponding to the search condition from among pieces of content information and management subject identification information for identifying the information management device which manages the content information, and correlating the management subject identification information with content identification information and content-related information that are included in the content information received by the transmission/reception section and causing a storage section to store the correlated management subject identificatio

Abstract: In view of the connection of a home network to an external network via a home router, using a mechanism that access from the same network is provided with a source MAC address whereas a source address field is rewritten to a MAC address of the router in the case of external access via the router, whether or not access is made from the home network is automatically identified by comparing a MAC address of a device on the other side of communication with a MAC address of the home router. It is capable of suitably managing so that a client terminal uses the contents legitimately acquired on a home server within the scope of private use allowed by the copyright law.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method which enable to execute different access controls based on setting modes are realized. A MAC address table in which a manually registered client MAC address and an automatically registered client MAC address are registered in forms to be able to distinguish each other is set. If an access control mode is an automatic registration access control mode, a MAC addresses of an access requesting client is registered until the number of the MAC address reaches a defined limit number of registration: N of the MAC address table, and the access is allowed under the condition of the registration; or if the access control mode is a registered device access control mode, the access is allowed under the condition that the client MAC address is registered in the MAC address table as the manually registered MAC address.

Abstract: An information processing unit includes an application data receiving buffer to temporarily store data transmitted from a client device for initiating a connection, an application data receiving section to acquire the data transmitted from the client device from the application data receiving buffer and transmit the data to an upper layer application, and a flow control reception management section to transfer the data transmitted from the client device to the application data receiving buffer and monitor a free space in the application data receiving buffer and supply a data size receivable by the application data receiving buffer to the client device.

Abstract: In a metadata collection system comprising a plurality of content management servers each capable of managing content and content metadata as local content and managing content metadata stored in another content management server as reference content and a metadata collection apparatus connected with the plurality of content management servers to collect metadata from the plurality of content management servers, the metadata collection apparatus collects metadata from the individual content management servers based upon server information held at the content management servers and category identifiers appended to tree structures generated at the content management servers by individually referencing the plurality of content management servers.

Abstract: A content sharing system includes a plurality of client stations, each including a content acquiring unit, and one or more content management servers that manage a plurality of content items. The content management server includes a storage unit that stores meta data of the content items, a tree structure generating unit that generates a tree structure including a plurality of containers arranged in hierarchical levels, each container having an identifier representing a type of content assigned thereto, a content allocating unit that allocates the content items to the containers on the basis of the meta data and the identifiers, and a content presenting unit that presents the tree structure having the content items allocated thereto to the client station. The content acquiring unit acquires the tree structure from the content management server and acquires the one or more content items from the content management server using the acquired tree structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that, in transmission and playback of content between a server and a client, efficiently executes playing back part of content, such as an impressive portion, is provided. By setting index information as partial data region identification information in property information corresponding to content retained by the server, when a content request from the client includes partial playback specification information, the index information is acquired from the property information corresponding to the specified content, and the content is acquired and transmitted to the client. This configuration enables the client to enjoy playback of content of only particular partial data such as an impressive portion of content received from a server or a user's favorite portion.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus and method that generate a MAC list that serves as an access control list efficiently without burdening a user. A MAC list registration processing request packet is automatically transmitted by using as a trigger either a power-on process of the power source of a client apparatus connected to a network or an activation process of a specific application, e.g., an execution application for services using a home network. A server performs a registration process by acquiring information such as a MAC address from the received packet in accordance with a state of empty slots in the MAC list. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily and correctly generate the MAC list, which serves as the access control list, without burdening a user.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method which enable to execute different access controls based on setting modes are realized. A MAC address table in which a manually registered client MAC address and an automatically registered client MAC address are registered in forms to be able to distinguish each other is set. If an access control mode is an automatic registration access control mode, a MAC addresses of an access requesting client is registered until the number of the MAC address reaches a defined limit number of registration: N of the MAC address table, and the access is allowed under the condition of the registration; or if the access control mode is a registered device access control mode, the access is allowed under the condition that the client MAC address is registered in the MAC address table as the manually registered MAC address.

Abstract: In view of the fact that devices connected on a home network are located in home, that is, at close range and therefore a user can physically access the devices within a relatively short period of time, identifying whether or not a home server for distributing the contents and a client terminal using the contents are connected to the same home network based on whether or not they can share access to the same physical medium within a short period of time. The authenticity of devices connected on a home network connected to an external network via a router is authenticated.

Abstract: Providing a function of isolating a home network from an external network for a router or a gateway, which are interposed between the home network and the external network, so as to isolate or disconnect the home network from the external network when, for example, the home server registers a client as a member or provides the contents or issues a license thereof, thereby ensuring a client making a request is present in the local environment. It is possible to manage the contents legitimately acquired on the home server so as to be used by a client terminal within the scope of private use allowed by the copyright law.

Abstract: In view of the connection of a home network to an external network via a home router, using a mechanism that access from the same network is provided with a source MAC address whereas a source address field is rewritten to a MAC address of the router in the case of external access via the router, whether or not access is made from the home network is automatically identified by comparing a MAC address of a device on the other side of communication with a MAC address of the home router. It is capable of suitably managing so that a client terminal uses the contents legitimately acquired on a home server within the scope of private use allowed by the copyright law.

Abstract: A method of minimizing the volume of communication necessary for displaying moving images is disclosed. When an object is moved on a client terminal, a message indicating the movement of the object is transmitted to a server terminal. The server terminal transmits the message to other client terminals. Each of the client terminals stores a message table in advance to execute the message. According the message table, an image for locally moving a particular object, for example, is generated and displayed. This novel setup transmits information about the update of an updated object composed of a plurality of sub objects each of whose state is subject to change, in a minimum transmission volume. This, in turn, allows cooperative operations of the plurality of sub objects to be smoothly displayed in a three-dimensional virtual reality space shared by a plurality of users.

Abstract: A cyber-space system comprising one or more cyber-spaces for providing predetermined information, and user terminals for receiving provision of the predetermined information by accessing the cyber-space, wherein the cyber-space includes information objects for providing information to the user terminals, user objects corresponding to the user terminals, and a conversion object disposed between the information object and the user object, and capable of converting a terminal manipulation message from the user object into an information access message and supplying the converted message to the information object. The conversion object is further capable of converting an information content message from the information object into information corresponding to the capacity of the user terminal and providing the converted information to the user terminal.