Searching system, searching unit, searching method, displaying method for search results, terminal unit, inputting unit, and record medium

Abstract

A searching system for searching contents that were broadcast, the searching system having an inputting unit, a searching unit, and a terminal unit is disclosed, wherein the inputting unit comprises a first storing means for storing information representing at least time at which contents were broadcast corresponding to a predetermined operation, and a first communicating means for transmitting the information representing time stored in the storing means to an external unit, wherein the searching unit comprises a second storing means for correlatively storing information representing contents and broadcast time thereof, and a searching means for searching information representing the contents stored in the second storing means corresponding to the information representing time, and wherein the terminal unit comprises a second communicating means for receiving the information representing time transmitted from the inputting unit through the first communicating means, a third communicating means for transmitting the information representing time received by the second communicating means and receiving search results transmitted from the searching unit, and a first displaying means for displaying the information representing time received by the second communicating means and the search results by the searching unit.

1 - 105 . (canceled)  
   
   
       106 . A searching system for searching contents that were broadcast, the searching system having an inputting unit, a searching unit, and a terminal unit, 
 wherein the inputting unit comprises: 
 a first storage configured to store information representing at least time at which contents were broadcast corresponding to a predetermined operation; and  
 a first communicating device configured to transmit the information representing time stored in said first storage to an external unit,  
   wherein the searching unit comprises: 
 a second storage configured to correlatively store information representing contents and broadcast time thereof; and  
 a searching unit configured to search information representing the contents stored in said second storage corresponding to the information representing time;  
   wherein the terminal unit comprises: 
 a second communicating device configured to receive the information representing time transmitted from the inputting unit through said first communicating device;  
 a third communicating device configured to transmit the information representing time received by said second communicating device and receiving search results transmitted from the searching unit; and  
 a first display configured to display the information representing time received by said second communicating device and the search results by the searching unit; and  
   wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       107 . The searching system as set forth in  claim 106 , 
 wherein when the information representing time is received by said second communicating device, the transmission of the information representing time from the inputting unit to the terminal unit is virtually displayed.    
   
   
       108 . The searching system as set forth in  claim 107 , 
 wherein the inputting unit further comprises:    a second display configured to display entries of information representing time stored in said first storage, and    wherein when the information representing time is received by said second communicating device, the virtual display of said first display of the terminal unit is correlated with the display of the entries of the information representing time displayed on said second display of the inputting unit.    
   
   
       109 . A terminal unit for causing contents that were broadcast to be searched, comprising: 
 a first communicating device configured to receive time information representing a predetermined time from an inputting unit and transmitting the information representing the predetermined time to an external unit;    a second communicating device configured to transmit the information representing the predetermined time received from said first communicating device to a searching unit and receiving search results from the searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a storage corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time, the storage correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof; and    a display configured to display the information representing the predetermined time received by said first communicating device and the search results of the searching unit;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       110 . The terminal unit as set forth in  claim 109 , 
 wherein when the information representing the predetermined time is received from the inputting unit, said display virtually displays the transmission of the information representing the predetermined time from the inputting unit to the terminal unit.    
   
   
       111 . The terminal unit as set forth in  claim 110 , 
 wherein when the information representing the predetermined time is received from the inputting unit, the virtual display of said display of the terminal unit is correlated with the display of the entries of the information representing the predetermined time displayed on a second display of the inputting unit.    
   
   
       112 . A terminal unit for causing contents that were broadcast to be searched, comprising: 
 a first storage configured to store time information representing a predetermined time corresponding to a predetermined operation;    a communicating device configured to transmit the information representing the predetermined time to a searching unit and receiving search results from the searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a second storage corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time, the second storage correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof; and    a display configured to display the information representing the predetermined time stored in said first storage and the search results of the searching unit;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in an inputting unit in communication with the terminal unit.    
   
   
       113 . The terminal unit as set forth in  claim 112 , 
 wherein said display displays the information representing the contents that were broadcast at the time represented by the information representing the predetermined time and contents, and information representing contents that were broadcast earlier than those and as the search results corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time as second contents, the amount of the second contents being a multiple of the amount of the first contents.    
   
   
       114 . The terminal unit as set forth in  claim 112 , 
 wherein the contents are a musical piece,    wherein the terminal unit further comprises:    an audio reproducing device configured to reproduce audio data, and    wherein when a predetermined operation is performed with the terminal unit corresponding to the search results searched by said searching unit and displayed on said first display, audio data corresponding to a musical piece as the search results is requested to the searching unit and the audio data transmitted from the searching unit is reproduced by said audio reproducing device.    
   
   
       115 . A searching unit for searching contents that were broadcast, comprising: 
 a database for correlatively storing information representing contents and broadcast time thereof; and    a communication interface for receiving time information representing a predetermined time and identification information of contents from an external unit,    wherein the information representing the contents is searched corresponding to the received time information representing the predetermined time and the received identification information of the contents;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the external unit.    
   
   
       116 . The searching unit as set forth in  claim 115 , 
 wherein the search results are transmitted to the external unit through said communication interface.    
   
   
       117 . A searching method for searching contents that were broadcast, comprising: 
 (a) storing information representing at least time at which contents were broadcast corresponding to a predetermined operation of an inputting unit to a first storage;    (b) transmitting the information representing time stored in the first storage to an external unit;    (c) causing a searching unit to search information representing contents stored in a second storage corresponding to the information representing time;    (d) receiving the information representing time transmitted from the inputting unit at the transmitting (b);    (e) transmitting the information representing time received at the receiving (d) and receiving search results transmitted from the searching unit;    (f) displaying the information representing time received at the receiving (d); and    (g) displaying the search results of the searching unit;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       118 . A searching method for searching contents that were broadcast, comprising: 
 (a) receiving timing information representing a predetermined time and identification information of contents from an external unit;    (b) searching the information representing the contents from a database corresponding to the received time information representing time and the received identification information of the contents, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof; and    (c) transmitting search results searched at the searching (b) to the external unit;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching method can be downloaded and stored in the external unit.    
   
   
       119 . A displaying method for causing a terminal unit to display search results of contents that were broadcast, comprising: 
 (a) first receiving time information representing a predetermined time from an inputting unit;    (b) transmitting the information representing the predetermined time to an external unit;    (c) transmitting the information representing the predetermined time received at the first receiving (a) to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    (d) second receiving search results from the searching unit; and    (e) displaying the information representing the predetermined time received at the first receiving (a) and the search results received at the second receiving (d);    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       120 . A displaying method for causing a terminal unit to display search results of contents that were broadcast, comprising: 
 (a) storing time information representing a predetermined time corresponding to a predetermined operation;    (b) transmitting the information representing the predetermined time stored at the storing (a) to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    (c) receiving search results from the searching unit; and    (d) displaying the information representing the predetermined time stored at the storing (a) and the search results of the contents received at the receiving (c);    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in an inputting unit in communication with the terminal unit.    
   
   
       121 . A record medium for recording a control program that causes search results of contents to be displayed on a terminal unit, the control program causing the terminal unit to perform: 
 (a) first receiving time information representing predetermined time from an inputting unit;    (b) transmitting the information representing the predetermined time to an external unit;    (c) transmitting the information representing the predetermined time to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    (d) second receiving search results from the searching unit; and    (e) displaying at least the received search results;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       122 . A record medium for recording a control program that causes search results of contents to be displayed on a terminal unit, the control program causing the terminal unit to perform: 
 (a) storing time information representing a predetermined time corresponding to a predetermined operation;    (b) transmitting the information representing the predetermined time stored at the storing (a) to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the information representing the predetermined time, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    (c) receiving search results from the searching unit; and    (d) displaying at least the search results on the terminal unit;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in an inputting unit in communication with the terminal unit.    
   
   
       123 . A record medium for recording a control program that causes an inputting unit to input information representing time to a researching unit, the control program causing the inputting unit to perform: 
 (a) storing time information representing predetermined time corresponding to user's operation;    (b) transmitting the time information representing the predetermined time stored at the storing (a) to an external unit; and    (c) inputting the time information representing the predetermined time to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the time information representing the predetermined time at which contents were broadcast, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       124 . The record medium as set forth in  claim 123 , 
 wherein the control program causing the inputting unit to further perform:    (d) displaying the number of entries of the time information representing the predetermined time stored at the storing (a).    
   
   
       125 . An inputting unit for inputting information representing time, comprising: 
 a storage configured to store time information representing predetermined time corresponding to user's operation;    a display configured to display the number of entries of the time information stored in said storage; and    a communicating device configured to transmit the time information stored in said storage to an external unit,    wherein information representing time is input to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the time information representing time at which the contents were broadcast, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the inputting unit.    
   
   
       126 . The inputting unit as set forth in  claim 125 , 
 wherein the predetermined time is time at which the user knows his or her desired broadcast contents.    
   
   
       127 . The inputting unit as set forth in  claim 125 , 
 wherein said communicating device transmits the count value to an information terminal unit that is installed as a public unit.    
   
   
       128 . The inputting unit as set forth in  claim 125 , 
 wherein the information representing the contents includes information about the contents.    
   
   
       129 . An inputting unit for inputting information representing time, comprising: 
 a first storage configured to store time information representing predetermined time corresponding to user's operation;    a communicating device configured to communicate with an external unit and transmit the time information stored in said first storage to the external unit; and    a second storage configured to store data transmitted from the external unit through said communicating device,    wherein information representing time is input to a searching unit, the searching unit searching information representing contents from a database corresponding to the time information representing time at which the contents were broadcast, the database correlatively storing the information representing the contents and broadcast time thereof;    wherein content data associated with the search results by the searching unit can be downloaded and stored in the external unit.    
   
   
       130 . The inputting unit as set forth in  claim 129 , 
 wherein the data stored in said second storage is the contents or information thereabout.    
   
   
       131 . The inputting unit as set forth in  claim 129 , 
 wherein the information representing the contents includes information about the contents.