Content providing system, control apparatus, and reception apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10713908-B2
Application number	US-201716328785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

To provide a content providing system preferably providing a plurality of users with content. A content providing system according to the present technology includes a transmission apparatus, a control apparatus, and a plurality of reception apparatuses. The transmission apparatus transmits a trigger signal by broadcasting the trigger signal. The control apparatus controls the transmission apparatus. Each of the plurality of reception apparatuses includes a signal-reception part that receives the trigger signal, a storage part that stores content, a content presenting part that presents the content to a user, and a control part that controls the content presenting part on the basis of the trigger signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A content providing system, comprising:
a transmission apparatus configured to transmit a trigger signal based on broadcast of the trigger signal;
a control apparatus configured to:
control the transmission apparatus to transmit, at a first time point, a first trigger signal to start reproduction of content at a first reproduction time point; and
control the transmission apparatus to transmit, at a second time point, a second trigger signal to start reproduction of the content at a second reproduction time point, wherein
a time difference between the first reproduction time point and the second reproduction time point is same as a time difference between the first time point and the second time point; and

a plurality of reception apparatuses, wherein each reception apparatus of the plurality of reception apparatuses comprises:
a signal-reception part configured to receive the trigger signal;
a storage part configured to store the contents;
a content presenting part configured to present the content to a user; and
a control part configured to control the content presenting part based on the trigger signal.

2. The content providing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the content is haptic-feedback content, and
the control apparatus is further configured to:
control the transmission apparatus to provide at least one of image content or sound content to the user; and
control the transmission apparatus to synchronize the haptic-feedback content with at least one of the image content or the sound content.

3. The content providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission apparatus is further configured to transmit the trigger signal based on radiation of an electromagnetic wave.

4. The content providing system according to claim 3 , wherein the transmission apparatus is further configured to transmit the trigger signal based on radiation of an infrared ray.

5. The content providing system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a plurality of transmission apparatuses, wherein each transmission apparatus of the plurality of transmission apparatuses is configured to transmit the trigger signal based on broadcast of the trigger signal,
wherein the control apparatus is further configured to control the plurality of transmission apparatuses such that the plurality of transmission apparatuses is configured to transmit a plurality of trigger signals at different time points.

6. The content providing system according to claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of transmission apparatuses includes a first transmission apparatus and a second transmission apparatus,
the control apparatus is further configured to:
control the first transmission apparatus to transmit, at a third time point, a third trigger signal to start reproduction of the content at a third reproduction time point; and
control the second transmission apparatus to transmit, at a fourth time point, a fourth trigger signal to start reproduction of the content at a fourth reproduction time point, and

a time difference between the third reproduction time point and the fourth reproduction time point is same as a time difference between the third time point and the fourth time point.

7. The content providing system according to claim 1 , wherein
each reception apparatus of the plurality of reception apparatuses includes a plurality of content presenting parts,
the content includes operation timings of the plurality of content presenting parts, respectively, and
the control part is further configured to control the plurality of content presenting parts based on the trigger signal.

8. A control apparatus, comprising:
a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to:
control a transmission apparatus that transmits a trigger signal based on broadcast of the trigger signal to a plurality of reception apparatuses;
control the transmission apparatus to transmit, at a first time point, a first trigger signal to start reproduction of content at a first reproduction time point; and
control the transmission apparatus to transmit, at a second time point, a second trigger signal to start reproduction of the content at a second reproduction time point, wherein
a time difference between the first reproduction time point and the second reproduction time point is same as a time difference between the first time point and the second time point, and

each reception apparatus of the plurality of reception apparatuses comprises:
a signal-reception part that receives the trigger signal;
a storage part that stores the content;
a content presenting part that presents the content to a user; and
a control part that controls the content presenting part based on the trigger signal.

9. A reception apparatus, comprising:
a signal-reception part configured to:
receive a trigger signal transmitted based on broadcast of the trigger signal;
receive, at a first time point, a first trigger signal to start reproduction of content at a first reproduction time point; and
receive, at a second time point, a second trigger signal to start reproduction of the content at a second reproduction time point, wherein
a time difference between the first reproduction time point and the second reproduction time point is same as a time difference between the first time point and the second time point;

a storage part configured to store the content;
a content presenting part configured to present the content to a user; and
a control part configured to control the content presenting part based on the trigger signal.

10. A content providing system, comprising:
a plurality of transmission apparatuses, wherein each transmission apparatus of the plurality of transmission apparatuses is configured to transmit a trigger signal based on broadcast of the trigger signal;
a control apparatus configured to control the plurality of transmission apparatuses such that the plurality of transmission apparatuses is configured to transmit a plurality of trigger signals at different time points; and
a plurality of reception apparatuses, wherein each reception apparatus of the plurality of reception apparatuses comprises:
a signal-reception part configured to receive the trigger signal;
a storage part configured to store content;
a content presenting part configured to present the content to a user; and
a control part configured to control the content presenting part based on the trigger signal.

11. A content providing system, comprising:
a transmission apparatus configured to transmit a trigger signal based on broadcast of the trigger signal;
a control apparatus configured to control the transmission apparatus; and
a plurality of reception apparatuses, wherein each reception apparatus of the plurality of reception apparatuses comprises:
a signal-reception part configured to receive the trigger signal;
a storage part configured to store content;
a plurality of content presenting parts configured to present the content to a user, wherein the content includes operation timings of the plurality of content presenting parts, respectively; and
a control part configured to control the plurality of content presenting part based on the trigger signal.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Yokoyama Ryo
• Yamano Ikuo
• Ito Osamu
• Matsuzaki Yosuke

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• H04W4/08

  User group management · CPC title

• G06F13/00

  Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units (interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 {; multiprogram control therefor  G06F9/46}; multiprocessor systems  G06F15/16 ) · CPC title

• G06F3/16

  Sound input; Sound output (speech processing G10L) · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title