What is claimed is:
1. A method for annotating audiovideo data files, comprising:
a) providing one or more audiovideo data files accessible via a computer server over a computer network;
b) receiving a request at said computer server from a computer of an annotating individual on the computer network for at least one of said one or more audiovideo files;
c) transmitting by the computer server to the computer of the annotating individual said at least one audiovideo file requested in step b) over said computer network for display by the computer of said annotating individual;
d) receiving by the computer server from the computer of the annotating individual edit point information specifying a portion of said at least one audiovideo file transmitted by the computer server in step c) selected by said annotating individual;
e) receiving by the computer server text provided by said annotating individual, corresponding at least in part to said selected portion of said at least one audiovideo file; and
f) storing by the computer server said text and said edit point information received from the computer of the annotating individual in an annotation data file.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
g) receiving by the computer server a request for said annotation data file stored in step e) from a computer of a requesting individual on the computer network; and
h) providing by the computer server said requested annotation data file over said computer network for display by the computer of said requesting individual such that said text is displayed for said requesting individual together with said portion of said at least one audiovideo file specified by said edit point information received by the computer server in step d).
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
g) defining at least one rule that said edit point information received from the computer of the annotating individual must satisfy; and
h) processing by the computer server said edit point information received from the computer of the annotating individual in step d) to verify said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule, wherein steps d) and h) are repeated and storing step f) is performed only if the result of step h) is that said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
g) defining at least one rule that said edit point information must satisfy; and
h) processing by the computer of the annotating individual said edit point information to verify said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule, wherein steps d) and h) are repeated and storing step f) is performed only if the result of step h) is that said edit point information satisfies said at least one rule.
5. A system for annotating audiovideo data files, comprising:
a first storage device for storing at least one audiovideo data file;
a second storage device;
a computer server comprising:
a storage device interface coupled to said first and second storage devices;
a network interface coupled to a computer network;
a first receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving an audiovideo file request selecting a particular one of said at least one audiovideo data file over said computer network;
a first transmitter coupled to said network interface for transmitting over said computer network the particular one of said at least one audiovideo data file selected by the audiovideo file request received by said first receiver;
a second receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving edit point information specifying a portion of the particular one of said at least one audiovideo file transmitted by said first transmitter and for receiving text corresponding at least in part to said specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audiovideo file over said computer network from a computer of an annotating individual on said computer network; and
a controller coupled to said second receiver and said storage device interface for creating an annotation data file for the specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audiovideo file, said annotation data file comprising said edit point information and said corresponding text, and the controller for causing said annotation data file to be stored on said second storage device.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said computer server further comprises:
a third receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving an annotation request selecting at least one annotation data file stored on said second storage device; and
a second transmitter, coupled to said network interface for transmitting over said computer network to a destination computer at least one annotation data file selected by the annotation request received by said third receiver;
wherein said controller creates said annotation data file so that said corresponding text is displayed at the destination computer together with said specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audiovideo file.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein said computer server further comprises:
a third receiver coupled to said network interface for receiving an annotation request selecting at least one annotation data file stored on said second storage device over said computer network from a computer of a requesting individual on the computer network; and
a second transmitter, coupled to said network interface for transmitting over said computer network at least one annotation data file selected by the annotation request received by said third receiver;
wherein said controller creates said annotation data file so that said corresponding text is displayed at the computer of the requesting individual together with said specified portion of the particular one of said at least one audiovideo file.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device control apparatus, comprising:
a transmission signal inputoutput unit for receiving a signal including a control signal for controlling an internal state from another device connected to the transmission signal inputoutput unit or for outputting the signal to the another device;
an application acquisition unit for properly accessing an application server over a network and properly acquiring an application from the application server;
a display control unit for controlling, on a first region of a display screen, a display based on the application acquired from the application server by the application acquisition unit; and
an operation control unit for executing the application acquired from the application server by the application acquisition unit to control an operation of the another device connected to the transmission signal inputoutput unit,
wherein the operation control unit permits the another device to transmit its status upon initiation of execution of the application acquired by the application acquisition unit, and prohibits the another device from transmitting the status upon termination of the application execution, and
wherein the another device connected to the transmission signal inputoutput unit is an audio amplification device, the application acquired from the application server is configured to be executed in a state in which a video is displayed on a second region of the display screen while the display based on the application acquired from the application server is displayed on the first region of the display screen, and the video is associated with an audio input source of the audio amplification device, and
wherein the operation control unit executes the application acquired from the application server by the application acquisition unit to change a sound field of the audio amplification device.
2. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit sets a plurality of parameters of the another device connected to the transmission signal inputoutput unit by means of one command transmission.
3. The device control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the command transmitted by the operation control unit is a vendor specific command of HDMI-CEC.
4. The device control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation control unit sets a real number in a corresponding field of the command when the parameters of the another device connected to the transmission signal inputoutput unit are changed, and sets a given invalid value in the field of the command when the parameters are not changed.
5. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit executes the application acquired by the application acquisition unit and powers the another device connected to the transmission signal inputoutput unit off.
6. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one speaker is connected to the audio amplification device, and the operation control unit executes the application acquired from the application server by the application acquisition unit to change a sound output level of the speaker connected to the audio amplification device.
7. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit executes the application acquired from the application server by the application acquisition unit to change an audio input source of the audio amplification device.
8. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an application discarding unit for discarding the application acquired by the application acquisition unit when the operation control unit terminates the execution of the application.
9. A device control method, comprising:
receiving a signal including a control signal for controlling an internal state from another device or outputting the signal to the another device;
properly accessing an application server over a network and properly acquiring the application from the application server;
controlling, on a first region of a display screen, a display based on an application acquired from the application server in the application acquisition step;
executing the application acquired from the application server in the application acquisition step to control an operation of the another device;
permitting the another device to transmit its status upon initiation of the execution of the application acquired by the application acquisition unit; and
prohibiting the another device from transmitting the status upon termination of the application execution,
wherein the another device is an audio amplification device, the application acquired from the application server is configured to be executed in a state in which a video is displayed on a second region of the display screen while the display based on the application acquired from the application server is displayed on the first region of the display screen, and the video is associated with an audio input source of the audio amplification device, and
wherein executing further includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change a sound field of the audio amplification device.
10. The device control method according to claim 9, wherein the executing step includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change a sound field of the audio amplification device.
11. The device control method according to claim 9, wherein at least one speaker is connected to the audio amplification device, and the executing step includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change a sound output level of the speaker connected to the audio amplification device.
12. The device control method according to claim 9, wherein the executing step includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change an audio input source of the audio amplification device.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded therein a computer program for causing a computer to execute a device control method, comprising:
receiving a signal including a control signal for controlling an internal state from another device or outputting the signal to the another device;
properly accessing an application server over a network and properly acquiring the application from the application server;
controlling, on a first region of a display screen, a display based on an application acquired from the application server in the application acquisition step;
executing the application acquired from the application server in the application acquisition step to control an operation of the another device;
permitting the another device to transmit its status upon initiation of the execution of the application acquired by the application acquisition unit; and
prohibiting the another device from transmitting the status upon termination of the application execution,
wherein the another device is an audio amplification device, the application acquired from the application server is configured to be executed in a state in which a video is displayed on a second region of the display screen while the display based on the application acquired from the application server is displayed on the first region of the display screen, and the video is associated with an audio input source of the audio amplification device, and
wherein the executing step further includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change an audio input source of the audio amplification device.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the executing step includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change a sound field of the audio amplification device.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein at least one speaker is connected to the audio amplification device, and the executing step includes executing the application acquired from the application server to change a sound output level of the speaker connected to the audio amplification device.