Recording and reproducing apparatus and terminal apparatus

Abstract

A recording and reproducing apparatus has a communicating unit, a reading unit, a storing unit, a control unit, and an output unit. The communicating unit transmits and receives data to/from an information center in which a plurality of additional information have been stored. The reading unit reads out recorded data from a recording medium on which a plurality of data and index data of a plurality of data have been recorded. The data read out from the recording medium by the reading unit is stored in the storing unit. The control unit reads out the additional information corresponding to the recording medium from which the data is read out by the reading unit from the information center by the communicating unit and writes the read-out additional information into the storing unit as additional data of the recording medium which is read out by the reading unit. The output unit outputs the data stored in the storing unit and the additional data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:
 communicating means for transmitting data to and receiving data from an information center in which a plurality of additional information have been stored;   reading means for reading recorded data from a recording medium on which a plurality of data and index data for use in managing said plurality of data have been recorded, said recording medium being loaded in said recording and reproducing apparatus;   storing means for storing said recorded data read from said recording medium by said reading means;   control means for controlling said communicating means to transmit to said information center said index data of said recording medium from which said data are read by said reading means based on said index data and to read from said information center additional information corresponding to said transmitted index data and for writing said read additional information into said storing means as additional data of said recording medium from which said recorded data are read by said reading means; and   output means for outputting said data stored in said storing means and said additional data corresponding to said data stored in said storing means.   
     
     
       2. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:
 reading means for reading data recorded on a recording medium;   first storing means for storing said data read from said recording medium by said reading means;   reproducing means for reproducing said data stored in said first storing means;   control means for inhibiting said data stored in said first storing means from being further reproduced from said first storing means by said reproducing means when said data read out from said first storing means is stored into second storing means connected to said recording and reproducing apparatus; and   an operating unit operated by a user, whereby said data stored in said second storing means may be deleted based on an input from said operating unit, wherein
 said deletion of said data stored in said second storing means is performed in accordance with an order from previous data in said data stored in said second storing means; and 
 when a storage capacity of said second storing means is larger than said amount of data supplied to said second storing means as a result of a deletion of the data stored in said second storing means, said control means reads out said data stored in said first storing means and supplies said read-out data to said second storing means. 
   
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said control means sets an inhibition flag to the data read out from said first storing means and stored in said second storing means. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said output means comprises reproducing means for reproducing said recorded data stored in said storing means. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said output means comprises converting means for converting an output signal from said reproducing means into a sound audible to a user. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said additional information includes title data of the recorded data on said recording medium. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the recorded data read out from said recording medium by said reading means is recorded from said recording medium to said storing means at a high speed, said control means transmits data indicative of an execution of said high-speed recording to said information center through said communicating means. 
     
     
       8. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:
 an information supplying unit in which a plurality of additional information have been stored;   a recording and reproducing unit for transmitting data to and receiving data from said information supplying unit,   wherein said recording and reproducing unit includes communicating means, reading means, storing means, control means, and output means;   said communicating means transmits said data to and receives said data from said information supplying unit;   said reading means reads data from a recording medium on which a plurality of data and index data for use in managing said plurality of data have been recorded, said recording medium being loaded in said recording and reproducing apparatus, whereby
 said data read from said recording medium by said reading means are stored in said storing means; 
 said control means controls said communicating means to read from said information supplying unit additional information corresponding to said recording medium from which said data are read by said reading means based on said index data and to write said read additional information into said storing means as additional data of said recording medium that are read by said reading means; and 
 output means for outputting said data stored in said storing means and for outputting said additional data stored in said storing means. 
   
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the index data read out from said recording medium by said reading means is transmitted to said information supplying unit through said communicating means. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein on the basis of said transmitted index data, said information supplying unit retrieves the additional information corresponding to said transmitted index data from said plurality of additional information and transmits the retrieved additional information to said recording and reproducing unit. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said recording and reproducing unit transmits said index data read out from said recording medium by said reading means to said information supplying unit through said communicating means and transmits user identification data of said recording and reproducing unit, and
 said information supplying unit controls a retrieving operation of said information supplying unit of said additional information based on said index data transmitted on the basis of said user identification data transmitted together with said index data.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said output means includes a display unit providing a display based on said additional data. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising reproducing means for reproducing the data stored said storing means. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said output means includes converting means for converting an output signal from said reproducing means into a sound audible to a user. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said additional information includes title data of the data recorded on said recording medium. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein when the data read out from said recording medium by said reading means is recorded from said recording medium to said storing means at a high speed, said control means transmits data indicative of an execution of said high-speed recording to said information supplying unit through said communicating means. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said information supplying unit executes an accounting process on the basis of the data indicative of the execution of high-speed recording transmitted through said communicating means. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said recording and reproducing unit records at a high speed the data read out by said reading means from said recording medium to said storing means on the basis of data indicative of an end of said accounting process. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said storing means of said recording and reproducing unit comprises first storage means and further comprising a terminal apparatus unit having second storing means, and
 wherein the data which is read out from said first storing means of said recording and reproducing unit is stored into said second storing means of said terminal apparatus unit.   
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said control means inhibits the data which was read out from said first storing means from being stored in said second storing means of said terminal apparatus unit and the data stored in said first storing means of said recording and reproducing unit is further read out again from said first storing means of said recording and reproducing unit. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said control means sets an inhibition flag for the data which was read out from said first storing means and stored in said second storing means of said terminal apparatus unit in the data stored in said first storing means of said recording and reproducing unit. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein when the data read out from said second storing means of said terminal apparatus unit is again supplied to said first storing means, said control mean provides control, whereby the data in said first storing means corresponding to the data supplied from said second storing means can be further read out from said first storing means. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said control means performs a comparison by comparing a storage capacity of said second storing means with an amount of the data which is read out from said first storing means and supplied to said second storing means. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein as a result of said comparison between said storage capacity of second storing means and said amount of the data read out from said first storing means and supplied to said second storing means, when said storage capacity of said second storing means is larger than said amount of data supplied to said second storing means, said control means reads out the data from said first storing means and supplies the read-out data to said terminal apparatus unit. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein as a result of said comparison between said storage capacity of said second storing means and said amount of data read out from said first storing means and supplied to said second storing means, when said storage capacity of said second storing means is smaller than said amount of data supplied to said second storing means, said control means deletes the data stored in said second storing means of said terminal apparatus unit. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said terminal apparatus unit deletes data stored in said second storing means in accordance with an order from previous data in the data stored in said second storing means. 
     
     
       27. A The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said terminal apparatus unit further includes an operating unit operated by a user, and said terminal apparatus unit deletes data stored in said second storing means on the basis of an input from said operating unit. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein when said storage capacity of said second storing means is larger than said amount of data supplied to said second storing means as a result of the deletion of the data stored in said second storing means of said terminal apparatus unit, said control means reads out the data from said first storing means and supplies said read-out data to said terminal apparatus. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein when the data read out from said second storing means is again supplied to said first storing means, said control means performs control so that the data in said first storing means corresponding to the data supplied from said second storing means can be further read out from said first storing means. 
     
     
       30. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:
 a first recording and reproducing unit including:   reading means for reading data recorded on a recording medium, said recording medium being loaded in said recording and reproducing apparatus;   first storing means for storing said data read from said recording medium by said reading means;   reproducing means for reproducing said data stored in said first storing means; and   control means for controlling operations of said reading means, said first storing means, and said reproducing means; and   a second recording and reproducing unit; and   an operating unit operated by a user, whereby the data stored in second storing means are deleted based on an input from said operating unit, wherein
 said control means inhibits said data from being reproduced by said first recording and reproducing unit when said data have been stored in said second storing means; 
 said control means deletes said data stored in said second storing means in accordance with an order from previous data in said data stored in said second storing means; and 
 when a storage capacity of said second storing means is larger than an amount of said data supplied to said second storing means as a result of said deletion of said data stored in said seconds storing means, said control means controls said reproduction of said data from said first storing means and supplies said reproduced data to said second storing means. 
   
     
     
       31. The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said control means sets an inhibition flag to the data which was reproduced from said first storing means of said first recording and reproducing unit and stored in said second storing means. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein when data reproduced from said second storing means is again supplied to said first storing means, said control means performs a control so that the data in said first storing means corresponding to the data supplied from said second storing means can be further reproduced from said first storing means. 
     
     
       33. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:
 reading means for reading data recorded on a recording medium;   storing means for storing said data read from said recording medium by said reading means;   reproducing means for reproducing said data stored in said storing means;   communicating means for transmitting said data reproduced from said storing means; and   control means for inhibiting an operation to reproduce said data from said storing means by said reproducing means when said data have been transmitted to an other external apparatus by said communicating means, wherein
 said storing means includes first storing means; 
 said control means sets an inhibition flag to said data reproduced from said first storing means and transmitted by said communicating means and stored in second storing means; and 
 when said data transmitted by said communicating means are again supplied to said apparatus, said control means performs a control operation such that said data in said first storing means corresponding to said data supplied to said apparatus through said communicating means can be further read out from said first storing means. 
   
     
     
       34. A method for transferring content data from a first apparatus to a portable reproduction apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
 identifying user-specifiable content data to be transferred from the first apparatus to the portable reproduction apparatus, the user-specifiable content data including music content data and metadata information retrieved over a network and associated with the music content data, the user-specifiable content data being a portion of content data stored on the first apparatus;   detecting a presence of a local connection between the first apparatus and the portable reproduction apparatus;   examining an amount of the user-specifiable content data and an available capacity of the portable reproduction apparatus;   comparing, by a processor of the first apparatus, the amount of the user-specifiable content data and the available capacity of the portable reproduction apparatus;   discriminating whether the user-specifiable content data can be recorded in the portable reproduction apparatus based on the comparing; and   transferring the user-specifiable content data from the first apparatus to the portable reproduction apparatus via the local connection based on the discriminating.   
     
     
       35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein
 the discriminating step indicates that the user-specifiable content data can be recorded in the portable reproduction apparatus when an available capacity in the portable reproduction apparatus is enough to record the user-specifiable content data in the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       36. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising the step of:
 deleting content data in the portable reproduction apparatus to create enough available capacity in the portable reproduction apparatus, when the available capacity in the portable reproduction apparatus is not enough to record the user-specifiable content data in the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       37. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein
 the deleting content data step includes deleting only index files that contain the content data to be deleted.   
     
     
       38. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein
 each step is automatically performed under control of the processor.   
     
     
       39. A method for transferring content data from a first apparatus to a second apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
 identifying user-specifiable content data to be transferred from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, the user-specifiable content data being a portion of content data stored on the first apparatus;   detecting a presence of a local connection between the first apparatus and the second apparatus;   examining an amount of the user-specifiable content data and an available capacity of the second apparatus;   comparing, by a processor of the first apparatus, the amount of the user-specifiable content data with the available capacity of the second apparatus based on a result of the examining step;   discriminating whether the user-specifiable content data can be recorded in the second apparatus;   transferring the user-specifiable content data from the first apparatus to the second apparatus via the local connection based on a result of the discriminating step; and   deleting content data in the second apparatus to create enough available capacity in the second apparatus, when the available capacity in the second apparatus is not enough to record the user-specifiable content data in the second apparatus, wherein   each step is automatically performed under control of the processor, and   the deleting content data step includes deleting content data in the second apparatus according to a number of times the content data was reproduced from the second apparatus.   
     
     
       40. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein
 the deleting content data step includes deleting content data in the portable reproduction apparatus according to a date of recording of the content in the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       41. The method as recited in claim 36, further comprising the step of:
 displaying a warning to a user on a display unit before the deleting content data step.   
     
     
       42. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing at least a computer program for transferring content data from a first apparatus to a portable reproduction apparatus, the computer program, when executed by a processor of the first apparatus, directing the processor to perform the steps of:
 identifying user-specifiable content data to be transferred from the first apparatus to the portable reproduction apparatus, the user-specifiable content data including music content data and metadata information retrieved over a network and associated with the music content data, the user-specifiable content data being a portion of content data stored on the first apparatus;   detecting a presence of a local connection between the first apparatus and the portable reproduction apparatus;   examining an amount of the user-specifiable content data and an available capacity of the portable reproduction apparatus;   comparing, by the processor of the first apparatus, the amount of the user-specifiable content data and the available capacity of the portable reproduction apparatus;   discriminating whether the user-specifiable content data can be recorded in the portable reproduction apparatus based on the comparing; and   transferring the user-specifiable content data from the first apparatus to the portable reproduction apparatus via the local connection based on the discriminating.   
     
     
       43. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 42, wherein
 the discriminating step indicates that the user-specifiable content data can be recorded in the portable reproduction apparatus when an available capacity in the portable reproduction apparatus is enough to record the user-specifiable content data in the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       44. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 42, the computer program further directing the processor to perform the step of:
 deleting content data in the portable reproduction apparatus to create enough available capacity in the portable reproduction apparatus, when the available capacity in the portable reproduction apparatus is not enough to record the user-specifiable content data in the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       45. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 44, wherein
 the deleting content data step includes deleting only index files that contain the content data to be deleted.   
     
     
       46. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 44, wherein
 each step is automatically performed under control of the processor.   
     
     
       47. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing at least a computer program for transferring content data from a first apparatus to a second apparatus, the computer program, when executed by a processor of the first apparatus, directing the processor to perform the steps of:
 identifying user-specifiable content data to be transferred from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, the user-specifiable content data being a portion of content data stored on the first apparatus;   detecting a presence of a local connection between the first apparatus and the second apparatus;   examining an amount of the user-specifiable content data and an available capacity of the second apparatus;   comparing, by the processor of the first apparatus, the amount of the user-specifiable content data with the available capacity of the second apparatus based on a result of the examining step;   discriminating whether the user-specifiable content data can be recorded in the second apparatus;   transferring the user-specifiable content data from the first apparatus to the second apparatus via the local connection based on a result of the discriminating step; and   deleting content data in the second apparatus to create enough available capacity in the second apparatus, when the available capacity in the second apparatus is not enough to record the user-specifiable content data in the second apparatus, wherein   each step is automatically performed under control of the processor, and   the deleting content data step includes deleting content data in the second apparatus according to a number of times the content data was reproduced from the second apparatus.   
     
     
       48. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 46, wherein
 each step is automatically performed under control of the processor, and   the deleting content data step includes deleting content data in the portable reproduction apparatus according to a date of recording of the content in the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       49. The computer readable medium according to claim 44, the computer program further directing the processor to perform the step of:
 displaying a warning to a user on a display unit before the deleting content data step.   
     
     
       50. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein
 the detected local connection is a direct local connection.   
     
     
       51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein
 the direct local connection is an industry standard connection.   
     
     
       52. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 42, wherein
 the detected local connection is a direct local connection.   
     
     
       53. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 52, wherein
 the direct local connection is an industry standard connection.   
     
     
       54. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein
 the examining the amount of the user-specifiable content data and the available capacity of the portable reproduction apparatus is in response to a detected presence of a direct local connection.   
     
     
       55. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 42, wherein
 the examining the amount of the user-specifiable content data and the available capacity of the portable reproduction apparatus is in response to a detected presence of a direct local connection.   
     
     
       56. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein
 the amount of the user-specifiable content data is examined by the processor of the first apparatus, and   the available capacity of the second apparatus is examined by a processor of the portable reproduction apparatus.   
     
     
       57. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein
 the metadata information includes song titles, artist names, and jacket images associated with the music content data.