Content retrieving device and content retrieving method

Abstract

A multimedia content retrieving device for retrieving multimedia content stored in a terminal through a network includes a memory that stores a terminal ID of a managing terminal that stores meta information. The meta information includes information relating to the multimedia content including a content ID and a terminal ID of a terminal that stores the content. A the multimedia content retrieving device also includes a retrieving device that inputs a retrieving condition that specifies information relating to the content, an obtaining device that obtains the meta information, a specifying device that specifies the content ID based on the meta information obtained by the obtaining device, and the terminal ID of the terminal storing the content, and a transmitting device that transmits a request for obtaining the content relating to the content ID through the network to the terminal specified by the specifying device.

1 . A content retrieving device for retrieving content stored in a terminal through a network, said content retrieving device comprising:
 means for storing a second terminal ID of a managing terminal that stores a meta information, said meta information including plural information relating to said content including a content ID that identifies said content and a first terminal ID of a terminal that stores the content;   means for inputting a retrieving condition that specifies at least one information in the plural information relating to said content;   means for obtaining the meta information that includes the at least one information in said retrieving condition from the managing terminal having the second terminal ID stored in said means for storing;   means for specifying said content ID based on the meta information obtained by the means for obtaining, and for specifying the first terminal ID of the terminal storing the content; and   means for transmitting a request for obtaining the content relating to said content ID specified by said means for specifying through said network to the terminal having the first terminal ID specified by the means for specifying.   
   
   
       2 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for storing stores said second terminal ID, a copy of said meta information, and a state control information that is set to one of a first state and a second state, the first state indicating the copy of the meta information is equal to a newest meta information stored on the managing terminal having the second terminal ID and the second state indicating no copy of the meta information is equal to the newest meta information stored on the managing terminal having the second terminal ID, and
 said means for obtaining obtains said meta information from said means for storing instead of from the managing terminal having the second terminal ID when said control information is set to the first state.   
   
   
       3 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 2 , wherein the content retrieving device further comprises:
 means for receiving notification information showing said second state from said managing terminal through said network; and   means for setting the control information relating to said managing terminal among the control information stored to said means for storing to said second state when said notification information is received by the means for receiving.   
   
   
       4 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 3 , wherein the content retrieving device further comprises:
 means for obtaining the newest meta information from said managing terminal through said network; and   means for updating the meta information relating to said managing terminal among the meta information stored on said means for storing to the obtained newest meta information and for changing said corresponding control information to said first state when the newest meta information is obtained by the means for obtaining.   
   
   
       5 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for storing also stores the meta information that includes the plural information relating to the content stored into the terminal to be directly managed, and also stores the first identification information of the terminal storing these content with respect to the terminal to be directly managed, and
 said means for obtaining also obtains the meta information that includes the at least one information in said retrieving condition among the meta information stored in said means for storing with respect to the terminal to be directly managed.   
   
   
       6 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plural information in said meta information includes at least information showing a classification of the content relating to the meta information, information showing a title of the content, and information showing a file name of the content. 
   
   
       7 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content retrieving device further comprises:
 means for receiving content relating to said request from the terminal transmitting said request; and   means for presenting information relating to the content received by the means for receiving.   
   
   
       8 . The content retrieving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the meta information includes the first identification information of the terminal storing a copy or a digest of an identified content when the content relating to said meta information is the copy or the digest of the identified content,
 said means for obtaining obtains the meta information relating to said copy or digest when said identified content cannot be received by said means for receiving although the request for obtaining said identified content is transmitted to the terminal storing said identified content by said means for transmission through said network,   said means for specifying specifies the first terminal ID of the terminal storing said copy or digest based on the meta information obtained by said means for obtaining, and   said means for transmission transmits the request for obtaining said copy or digest to the terminal having the first terminal ID through said network.   
   
   
       9 - 24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . A computer readable medium storing a content retrieving program which causes a computer to perform:
 storing a second terminal ID of a managing terminal that stores a meta information, said meta information including plural information relating to said content including a content ID that identifies said content and a first terminal ID of a terminal that stores the content;   inputting a retrieving condition that specifies at least one information in the plural information relating to said content;   obtaining the meta information that includes the at least one information in said retrieving condition from the managing terminal having the second terminal ID stored in storing;   specifying said content ID based on the meta information obtained by the obtaining, and specifying the first terminal ID of the terminal storing the content; and   transmitting a request for obtaining the content relating to said content ID specified by said specifying through said network to the terminal having the first terminal ID specified by the specifying.   
   
   
       26 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25 , wherein said storing stores said second terminal ID, a copy of said meta information, and a state control information that is set to one of a first state and a second state, the first state indicating the copy of the meta information is equal to a newest meta information stored on the managing terminal having the second terminal ID and the second state indicating no copy of the meta information is equal to the newest meta information stored on the managing terminal having the second terminal ID, and said obtaining obtains said meta information from said storing instead of from the managing terminal having the second terminal ID when said control information is set to the first state. 
   
   
       27 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 26 , wherein said program further comprises: receiving notification information showing said second state from said managing terminal through said network; and
 setting the control information relating to said managing terminal among the control information stored to said storing to said second state when said notification information is received by the receiving.   
   
   
       28 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 27 , wherein said program further comprises: obtaining the newest meta information from said managing terminal through said network; and
 updating the meta information relating to said managing terminal among the meta information stored in said storing to the obtained newest meta information and changing said corresponding control information to said first state when the newest meta information is obtained by the obtaining.   
   
   
       29 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25 , wherein said storing also stores the meta information that includes the plural information relating to the content stored into the terminal to be directly managed, and also stores the first identification information of the terminal storing these content with respect to the terminal to be directly managed, and said obtaining also obtains the meta information that includes the at least one information in said retrieving condition among the meta information stored by said storing with respect to the terminal to be directly managed. 
   
   
       30 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25 , wherein the plural information in said meta information includes at least information showing a classification of the content relating to the meta information, information showing a title of the content, and information showing a file name of the content. 
   
   
       31 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25 , wherein said program further comprises: receiving content relating to said request from the terminal transmitting said request; and
 presenting information relating to the content received by the receiving.   
   
   
       32 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 25 , wherein the meta information includes the first identification information of the terminal storing a copy or a digest of an identified content when the content relating to said meta information is the copy or the digest of the identified content, said obtaining obtains the meta information relating to said copy or digest when said identified content cannot be received by said receiving although the request for obtaining said identified content is transmitted to the terminal storing said identified content by said transmitting through said network, said specifying specifies the first terminal ID of the terminal storing said copy or digest based on the meta information obtained by said obtaining, and said transmitting transmits the request for obtaining said copy or digest to the terminal having the first terminal ID through said network. 
   
   
       33 . A content retrieving device for retrieving content stored in a terminal through a network, said content retrieving device comprising:
 an inputting device configured to input a retrieving condition that specifies at least one information in a meta information stored in a managing terminal having a second terminal ID, the meta information including plural information relating to said content;   an obtaining device configured to obtain the meta information that includes the at least one information in said retrieving condition from the managing terminal having the second terminal ID;   a specifying device configured to specify a content ID based on the meta information obtained by the obtaining device, and configured to specify a first terminal ID of a terminal that stores the content, the content ID being included in the meta information and identifying the content;   a transmitting device configured to transmit a request for obtaining the content relating to said content ID specified by said specifying device through said network to the terminal having the first terminal ID specified by the specifying device.