Content providing/obtaining system

Abstract

A content providing apparatus previously receives customer identification information and content identification information as customer reservation information via a terminal device, and sends customer desired content data corresponding to the content identification information to a content obtaining apparatus, so as to provide a customer with the customer desired content data via the content obtaining apparatus more easily, thus making it possible to significantly improve the usability of a content obtaining/providing system. In addition, a content providing server sends three-dimensional images to a portable dedicated terminal in response to a preview request sent from the portable dedicated terminal to display it, and then sends commercial data corresponding to a preview request sent according to the display state of the three-dimensional images to reproduce it, so as to make the customer view and preview the content to allow the customer to accurately judge whether the content meets his/her taste, thus making it possible to select content data lightheartedly.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A content obtaining apparatus comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to
 control sending an image request to a content providing apparatus, 
 control receiving a plurality of response images from the content providing apparatus, 
 control selection of one image among the plurality of response images, 
 control sending to the content providing apparatus a preview request of content data corresponding to the selected image, 
 control receiving from the content providing apparatus preview data of the content data corresponding to the preview request; 
 control outputting the preview data of the content data, 
 control sending to the content providing apparatus a reserve request of the content data, 
 control receiving from said content providing apparatus the content data, and 
 control outputting the content data. 
   
     
     
         3 . The content obtaining apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said content obtaining apparatus is a portable device. 
     
     
         4 . The content obtaining apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said processing circuitry is further configured to control reception of, along with said content data, rental period information indicating a rental period of said content data, and to prevent reproducing said content data when said rental period expires. 
     
     
         5 . A content obtaining method for obtaining content data implemented by a content obtaining apparatus, comprising:
 controlling sending of an image request to a content providing apparatus,   controlling receiving of a plurality of response images from the content providing apparatus,   controlling selection of one image among the plurality of response images,   controlling sending to the content providing apparatus a preview request of content data corresponding to the selected image,   controlling receiving from the content providing apparatus preview data of the content data corresponding to the preview request;   controlling outputting the preview data of the content data,   controlling sending to the content providing apparatus a reserve request of the content data,   controlling receiving from said content providing apparatus the content data, and   controlling outputting the content data.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said content obtaining apparatus is a portable device. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising controlling reception of, along with said content data, rental period information indicating a rental period of said content data, and preventing reproducing said content data when said rental period expires. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which, when executed by a content obtaining apparatus, cause the content obtaining apparatus to execute a method comprising:
 controlling sending of an image request to a content providing apparatus,   controlling receiving of a plurality of response images from the content providing apparatus,   controlling selection of one image among the plurality of response images,   controlling sending to the content providing apparatus a preview request of content data corresponding to the selected image,   controlling receiving from the content providing apparatus preview data of the content data corresponding to the preview request;   controlling outputting the preview data of the content data,   controlling sending to the content providing apparatus a reserve request of the content data,   controlling receiving from said content providing apparatus the content data, and   controlling outputting the content data.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 8 , wherein said content obtaining apparatus is a portable device. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 8 , further comprising controlling reception of, along with said content data, rental period information indicating a rental period of said content data, and preventing reproducing said content data when said rental period expires.