Patent Abstract:
A sending receiving method for data, such as musical data, in which plural data stored in a first storage unit are retrieved based on the request information sent from a host side device. The retrieved data is sent to a terminal side device. The sent data is checked to see as to whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit. If the results of check indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit, the sent data is stored in a second storage unit of the terminal side device.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to a data sending/receiving method and apparatus, a data receiving apparatus and a data sending apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a data sending/receiving method and apparatus configured for sending and receiving data, a data receiving apparatus and a data sending apparatus.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     With improvement in the technique of compressing video signals or speech signals or in the digital signal processing technique in the field of broadcasting or communication, it has become possible to realize services of distributing digital data, such as video on demand (VOD) or music on demand (MOD).  
         [0005]     Up to now, as an example of service configurations of furnishing digital data, a so-called push type service is being offered, in which the receiving side specifies a particular genre to the host side over the Internet and in which the host side retrieves data falling under the genre from a data base to sequentially transfer the retrieved data in succession to the receiving side.  
         [0006]     However, in the conventional data transmission/reception system, there lacks up to now a system of automatically downloading data of the new information, put on sale or publicized only of late, on the reception side. For example, in the conventional MOD system, there lacks a system of downloading data on new musical numbers on the reception side. In the conventional MOD system, there lacks a system for permitting the reception side to switch between the low quality reproduction and the high quality reproduction of data on new musical numbers. In addition, the conventional MOD system is no other than a system in which a user pays fee unexceptionally for data acquisition. On the contrary, there has not been known to data a system in which a portion of a new musical number is heard on trial and a user pays only the fee for the number which has suited to his or her liking in order to acquire the data for the new musical number in its entirety.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data sending/receiving apparatus which resolves the above-described problems.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a data sending/receiving method which resolves the above-described problems.  
         [0009]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a data reception apparatus which resolves the above-described problems.  
         [0010]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a data sending apparatus which resolves the above-described problems.  
         [0011]     According to the present invention there is provided a data sending receiving apparatus including a first storage unit holding plural data on memory, a retrieval unit for retrieving the data stored in the first storage unit, a first sending receiving unit for sending data retrieved by the retrieval unit, and a second sending receiving unit for receiving the data sent from the first sending receiving unit and for sending the request information from the user. t The first sending receiving unit receives the request information sent from a user to supply the received request information to the retrieval unit. The second sending receiving unit has a decision unit for checking whether or not data sent from the first sending receiving unit is data newly stored in the first storage unit and a second storage unit for storing data sent from the first sending receiving unit if the results of check by the check unit indicates that the data is data stored in the first storage unit.  
         [0012]     According to the present invention there is also provided a data receiving apparatus including a sending receiving unit for receiving data sent from a host side device and for sending the request information from the user to the host side device, a storage unit for storing received data sent by the sending receiving unit and a controller for checking whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the host side device, the controller causing the sent data to be stored in the storage unit if the results of check indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the host side device.  
         [0013]     According to the present invention there is also provided a data sending receiving method including the steps of retrieving plural data stored in a first storage unit based on the request information from a user sent to a host side device, sending the retrieved data to a terminal side device, checking whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit and storing the sent data in a second storage unit of the terminal side device if the results of discrimination indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit.  
         [0014]     According to the present invention there is additionally provided a data sending apparatus including a storage unit having plural data stored therein, a retrieval unit for retrieving data stored in the storage unit based on the request information from the user containing data specifying the user&#39;s intention to make payments sent from a terminal side device and a sending receiving unit for sending the data retrieved by the retrieval unit. The sending receiving unit also receives the request information sent from the user to send the received information to the retrieval unit. The sending receiving unit switches the sending mode to the terminal side device of data retrieved by the retrieval unit based on data specifying the user&#39;s intention to make payments for the request information from the user. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an entire structure of a data sending/receiving system embodying the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view for illustrating the loading of a portable terminal device on a data relaying device.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an illustrative circuit structure of a data sending/receiving system.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows an example of a format of data sent from a data sending apparatus to a data receiving apparatus.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart for illustrating the processing by a data sending apparatus, a data relaying device and a portable terminal device in case the designation of new musical number data is contained in the data designation information of the request information sent from the portable terminal device to the data sending apparatus and for illustrating an example of switching the sound quality of the new musical number data transferred by the data sending apparatus to the data receiving apparatus.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart for illustrating the processing contents of the data sending apparatus, data relaying apparatus and the portable terminal device in case the data sending apparatus executes a push type service.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic view showing an example of setting an accounting flag for the musical data stored in a hard disc of a hard disc drive.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view for illustrating the case of reproducing new musical number data recorded on the hard disc in the portable terminal device.  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view for illustrating the portable terminal device accessing the data sending apparatus without employing the data relaying device.  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing an alternative structure of the data relaying apparatus. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     Referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of a data sending receiving apparatus according to the present invention will be explained in detail.  
         [0026]     In the data sending/receiving apparatus, explained in the following embodiment, it is assumed that music data is sent from a data sending apparatus as a host side device to a data receiving apparatus as a terminal side device.  
         [0027]     A data sending receiving system  1  of the present invention, shown n  FIG. 1 , is a system for so-called music-on-demand and a data sending device  2  as a terminal device on the server side is connected over a communication network  3  to a data receiving device  4 . The data receiving device  4  is made up of a data relaying device  5  and a portable terminal device  6 , as a user side terminal device, detachably connected to the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0028]     Specifically, each lateral surface of a casing of the portable terminal device  6  is loaded on a mounting portion  7  formed as a recess in a casing of the data relaying device  5  for electrically and mechanically interconnecting the data relaying device  5  and the portable terminal device  6 . That is, with the data sending receiving system  1 , the data sending device  2  is connected over the communication network  3  to the data relaying device  5 , and the data relaying device  5  is connected to the portable terminal device  6  for interconnecting the data sending device  2  and the portable terminal device  6 .  
         [0029]     The data sending device  2  is mounted at, for example, a data management center on the side of the server and exchanges data concerning the accounting for performing preset accounting for the user. The data relaying device  5  relays the request information from the portable terminal device  6 , as later explained, to send the relayed information to the data sending device  2 , while relaying the data sent from the data sending device  2  to send the relayed data to the portable terminal device  6 . The data relaying device  5  is mounted on kiosk shop at a railway station, a convenience store, a public telephone box or at a home. The portable terminal device  6  is owned by each user and is a portable device convenient for transportation.  
         [0030]     Although only one data relaying device  5  and one portable terminal device  6  are shown in  FIG. 6  for convenience in illustration, a plurality of data relaying devices  5  and a plurality of portable terminal devices  6  are connected over the communication network  3  to the server side data sending device  2 .  
         [0031]     For the communication network  3  and an accounting communication network  10 , ISDN or a telephone network is used. Although the present embodiment illustrates an embodiment in which the communication network  3  and the data sending device  2  are connected by wired connection, such as with a communication cable or an optical fiber, the wired connection may be replaced by radio or wireless connection. In addition, although the communication network  3  and the data relaying device  5  are similarly connected by wired connection, such as with a communication cable or an optical fiber, wireless connection, such as over a radio route, may also be used. Also, in the data sending receiving system  1 , data transmission from the data sending device  2  to the data receiving device  4  may be via a communication medium, employing a broadcasting satellite, without employing the communication network  3  by a wired connection. If the broadcasting satellite is used, the communication network  3  is used for sending the request information, as later explained, from the data receiving device  4  to the data sending device  2 .  
         [0032]     The server side data sending device  2  receives the request information, as later explained, sent from the data relaying device  5  over the communication network  3 , to retrieve the relevant data based on the received request information. In addition, the data sending device  2  transfers the retrieved data in a preset system over the communication network  3  to the data relaying device  5  and/or to the portable terminal device  6 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , this data sending device  2  includes an interfacing unit  11  connected over the communication network  3  to the data relaying device  5  for data sending and reception, a large-capacity hard disc array  12 , having plural data items, such as music numbers, stored therein, and a data retrieving processing unit  13  for retrieving relevant data from this hard disc array  12 . The data sending device  2  also includes an accounting processing unit  14  for accessing the accounting communication network  10  to perform preset accounting for the chargeable user and a controller  15  for controlling the data sending device  2  in its entirety.  
         [0034]     The interfacing unit  11  is connected over the communication network  3  to the data relaying device  5  to receive the request information sent from the portable terminal device  6 , such as the data designation information or the user ID information. The interfacing unit  11  sends data, such as music data, outputted by the data retrieving processing unit  13 , as later explained, via the communication network  3  to the data relaying device  5 . The above-mentioned operations of the interfacing unit  11  are executed on the bases of the control signals sent from the controller  15 .  
         [0035]     In the hard disc array  12 , there are stored data, such as musical data of various genres, guide for music, or other audio data as compressed data. In the hard disc array  12 , there are stored musical data concerning the new musical numbers, referred to herein as new musical number data, along with an appended identifier, referred to herein as a new musical data identifier. The new musical number data means musical data within a preset time period as from the date on which it is put on sale only of late, such as within one month. The specified definition of the new musical number data is appropriately determined or modified on the host side.  
         [0036]     The data retrieving processing unit  13  receives the request information from the portable terminal device  6 , received by the interfacing unit  11 , over the controller  15 , and retrieves relevant data from the numerous data items, such as musical numbers, stored in the hard disc array  12 , based on this request information. The data retrieving processing unit  13  has a memory for transient data storage and reads out the retrieved data from the hard disc array  12  for transient storage therein. The data retrieving processing unit  13  also sends the data stored in the memory to the interfacing unit  11 .  
         [0037]     The data retrieving processing unit  13  also can read out only new musical number data from the hard disc array  12  by retrieving the new musical number identifier. The above-described operation of the data retrieving processing unit  13  is performed on the basis of control signals from the controller  15 .  
         [0038]     The accounting processing unit  14  receives the request information from the portable terminal device  6 , received by the interfacing unit  11 , via the controller  15 , and specifies the chargeable users based on the received request information, while executing preset accounting for the chargeable user.  
         [0039]     The controller  15  has a sending control program for sending musical data relevant to the received request information to the data relaying device  5  on the basis of the request information sent from the portable terminal device  6  via the data relaying device  5  and the communication network  3 . The controller  15  controls the interfacing unit  11 , hard disc array  12 , data retrieving processing unit  13  and the accounting processing unit  14  based on this sending control program.  
         [0040]     Specifically, the controller  15  controls the interfacing unit  11  so that the request information sent from the portable terminal device  6  via the data relaying device  5  and the communication network  3  is received and sent to the controller  15 . The controller  15  transiently stores the request information supplied form the interfacing unit  111  to send this request information to the data retrieving processing unit  13  and to the accounting processing unit  14 .  
         [0041]     The controller  15  executes the above-described retrieval based on the data designation information of the received request information to read out the retrieved data from the hard disc array  12  to store the data transiently in the memory of the data retrieving processing unit  13 .  
         [0042]     The controller  15  refers to the user ID information of the received request information to control the data retrieving processing unit  13  and the interfacing unit  11  so that the data transiently stored in the memory of the data retrieving processing unit  13  is sent to the interfacing unit  11  and data read out from the memory is sent to the data relaying device  5  to which is connected the portable terminal device  6 . In this manner, musical data is sent from the data sending device  2  to the portable terminal device  6  in the present data sending receiving system  1 .  
         [0043]     In the sending control program of the controller  15  is assembled a program for offering a so-called push type service as its subroutine. The program for offering this push type service includes a genre-based sending program for sequentially sending musical data in the relevant genre to the portable terminal device  6  based on the genre designating information used for designating the specified genre sent from the portable terminal device  6 .  
         [0044]     In the program for offering the push type services, there is assembled the new musical number data sending program for sequentially sending only the new musical number data to the portable terminal device  6  based on the new musical number request information from the portable terminal device  6  commanding transfer only of new musical number data. The control operations performed by the controller  15  in offering these push type services will be explained in detail subsequently.  
         [0045]     The data sending receiving system  1  of the present embodiment uses the packet exchanging system and sends data on the data packet basis. The format of each data packet sent from the data sending device  2  to the data receiving device  4  is such a format in which music data as main data portion is compressed with modified DCT as disclosed for example in Japanese Laying-Open Patent H-3-139923 or Japanese Laying-Open Patent H-3-139922 and in which a new music number flag or number ID is appended to the compressed data, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0046]     The new musical number flag is a flag specifying whether or not the music data as compressed data is the new musical number, and is appended as a header for each data packet. The number ID data includes, for example, music genre, name of the performing artist or the title of the musical number. By using the data format as shown in  FIG. 4 , there is caused no inconvenience in the data sending receiving system  1  even in case the data is sent from the data sending device  2  to the data receiving device  4  over the broadcasting satellite or data is sent in accordance with the push system.  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the data relaying device  5  includes an interfacing unit  21 , a hard disc array (HDD)  22 , a read-only memory (ROM)  23 , a random-access memory (RAM)  24 , an operating input unit  25 , a display unit  26 , an interfacing (I/F) unit  27 , a charging unit  28  and a controller  29  comprised of a micro-computer. These elements are interconnected over a bus  30 .  
         [0048]     The interfacing unit  21  is connected via communication network  3  to the data sending device  2  to receive data sent from the data sending device  2 . The received data is stored transiently in the RAM  24 . In the data relaying device  5 , a terminal  21   a  provided on the top of a casing serves as input/output terminals of the interfacing unit  21  serves as an input/output terminal of the interfacing unit  21 .  
         [0049]     The hard disc drive  22  includes a hard disc, not shown, on which received data transiently stored in the RAM  24  is recorded under control by the controller  29 .  
         [0050]     In the ROM  23  is stored the relay control program for controlling the operation of the data relaying device  5 . In the data relaying device  5 , the controller  29  reads out the relay control program stored in the ROM  23  to control the constituent elements of the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0051]     The RAM  24  transiently stores the data sent from the data sending device  2  over the communication network  3 . The RAM  24  transiently stores the request information sent from the portable terminal device  6  over the I/F  27 .  
         [0052]     An actuating input unit  25  sends an actuation input signal to the controller  29  and has a plurality of actuating buttons  25   a , as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0053]     A display unit  26  has a liquid crystal display device and is provided on the top of the casing, as shown in  FIG. 2 . This display unit  26  displays the actuating input signal from the actuating buttons  25   a , data reception states from the data sending device  2  or the request information from the portable terminal device  6 .  
         [0054]     The I/F  27  is an input output interface for the portable terminal device  6  and is connected to the I/F  31  of the portable terminal device  6  to receive the request information from the portable terminal device  6  via this I/F  27 . The I/F  27  sends musical data sent from the data sending device  2  via I/F  31  to the portable terminal device  6 . The I/F  27  of the data relaying device  5  and the I/F  31  of the portable terminal device  6  provide for electrical connection between the data relaying device  5  and the portable terminal device  6  via terminal  27   a  on the side of the data relaying device  5  and via terminal  31   a  of the portable terminal device  6  connected to the I/F  27  and I/F  31 , respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
         [0055]     The charging unit  28  is used for charging a battery  39  of the portable terminal device  6 . Specifically, with the data relaying device  5  being electrically connected to the portable terminal device  6 , that is with the portable terminal device  6  being loaded in position on the data relaying device  5 , an output terminal  28   a  of the charging unit  28  is contacted with an input terminal  39   a  of the battery  39 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , to supply the current from the charging unit  28  to the battery  39  under control by the controller  29 .  
         [0056]     The controller  29  reads out and executes the relay control program stored in the RAM  23  to control the respective blocks as described above.  
         [0057]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the portable terminal device  6  includes an interface (I/F)  31 , a hard disc drive (HDD)  32 , a read-only memory (ROM)  33 , a random access memory (RAM)  34 , an actuating input unit  35 , a display unit  36 , an interface (I/F)  37 , a data expanding unit  38 , a battery  39 , a D/A controller  41  and a controller  42  made up of a micro-computer. These component parts are interconnected over a bus  40 .  
         [0058]     The I/f  31  is an input/output interface for the data relaying device  5  and is connected to the I/F  27  of the data relaying device  5  in order to output the request information to the data relaying device  5 . The I/F  31  receives data, such as music, from the data sending device  2 , sent from the data relaying device  5  over the I/F  27 . The received music data is transiently stored in the RAM  34 .  
         [0059]     The hard disc drive  32  includes a hard disc, not shown. The music data from the data sending device  2 , transiently stored in the RAM  34 , is recorded in this hard disc.  
         [0060]     In the ROM  33  is stored the control program for controlling the operation of the portable terminal device  6 . The controller  42  of the portable terminal device  6  reads out the control program stored in the ROM  33  to control the constituent elements of the portable terminal device  6 .  
         [0061]     The RAM  34  transiently stores data sent from the data relaying device  5  or the various data sent from the controller  42 .  
         [0062]     The actuating input unit  35  sends actuating input signals to the controller  42  and, as shown in FIGS.  1  an  2 , is provided with various actuating buttons  35   a  to  35   d . Specifically, the actuating buttons  35   a  and  35   b  are selection keys for moving a cursor displayed on the display unit  36  or selecting various functions, while the actuating key  35   c  is a decision key for making decisions as to various functions. The actuating button  35   d , made up of plural actuating keys, are made up of various actuating keys for executing basic operations, such as playback, stop, pause, cue or review, for reproducing data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc array  32 . In the portable terminal device  6 , these actuating buttons are pushed to permit actuating input signals corresponding to the thrusting to be sent over the bus  40  to the controller  42 .  
         [0063]     The display unit  36  has a liquid crystal display device and is provided on the upper part of the major surface of the casing, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . This display unit  36  is responsive to an actuating input signal from the actuating input unit  25  derived from the pushing actuation of the actuating buttons  35   a  to  35   d  to display the request information generated by the controller  42 , reception states from the data sending device  2  or the connection states with the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0064]     The I/F  37  is an input/output interface for an external input/output device, such as a keyboard, modem or display. The lower part on the lateral surface of the casing of the portable terminal device  6  is provided with a connection terminal  37   a  for interconnecting the I/F  37  with the external input/output device, as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0065]     The data expanding unit  38  expands musical data, that is compressed data, read out from the RAM  34  or the hard disc drive  32 .  
         [0066]     The battery  39  furnishes the source voltage to the respective constituent elements of the portable terminal device  6  and may be a repeatedly rechargeable secondary cell, for example, a nickel cadmium cell, nickel hydrogen cell or lithium ion cell. In the present embodiment, the battery  39  is automatically charged by the voltage supplied from the charging unit  28  of the data relaying device  5  when the portable terminal device  6  is connected to the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0067]     The D/A controller  41  converts digital signals outputted by the data expanding unit  38  into analog playback signals. The playback signals generated after conversion by the D/A controller  41  are sent to the terminal  41   a  so as to be outputted as speech or as music via an external speaker  43  connected to the terminal  41   a.    
         [0068]     The controller  42  reads out the control program stored in the ROM  33  to execute the read-out program to output a control signal to respective blocks of the portable terminal device  6  to execute pre-set processing. Specifically, the controller  42  generates the request information based on the actuation input signals from the actuating input unit  35  to send the request information to the data relaying device  5  by way of a control operation. The controller  42  also outputs the data stored in the RAM  34  via data expanding unit  38  and D/A controller  41  to an external speaker  43  by way of a playback operation. The controller  42  furnishes the data stored in the RAM  34  to the hard disc drive  32  for storage in the hard discs held therein.  
         [0069]     The request information sent by the portable terminal device  6  to the data sending device  2  may be exemplified by the user ID information, data designation information for specifying data desired to be acquired, and the accounting information specifying whether or not the user is intending to make corresponding payments. The user ID information is previously stored in the memory in the controller  42  in order to generate the user ID information automatically.  
         [0070]     In order for the data sending device  2  to execute the above-mentioned genre-based sending program, it suffices if the genre designation information for specifying the genre of musical data desired to be acquired is sent to the data sending device  2  in place of the data designation information of the request information. In order for the data sending device  2  to execute the above-mentioned new musical number data sending program, it suffices if the new musical number information for requesting only the new musical number data to be transferred is sent to the data sending device  2  in place of the data designating information. At this time, the above-mentioned genre designation information may be sent simultaneously with the new musical number request information in order to acquire only new musical number data in the specified genre.  
         [0071]     The basic operation in the respective devices when the user acquires music data in accordance with the so-called MOD system in the present data sending receiving system  1  is hereinafter explained. The user acts on the actuating buttons  35   a  to  35   d  of the actuating input unit  35   a  of the portable terminal device  6  to designate one or more desired data. If new musical number data is contained in the specified data, the above-mentioned accounting information is entered to decide whether or not to make payments. The portable terminal device  6  then generates the request information including the accounting information by the controller  42 . This request information is stored in the RAM  34 .  
         [0072]     For designating the data, it suffices if the schematics and a list of data registered in the hard disc array  12  of the data sending device  2  are stored as a data base menu in the ROM  33  or in the RAM  34  and desired data is selected from this data base menu by actuation of the actuating buttons  35   a  to  35   d . At this time point, the portable terminal device  6  need not be connected to the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0073]     If the portable terminal device  6 , in which the request information has been generated as described above, is loaded on the mounting portion  7  of the data relaying device  5 , and the controller  29  of the data relaying device  5  detects that the portable terminal device  6  has been loaded in position, the controller  29  of the data relaying device  5  reads out the relay control program from the ROM  23  to execute the read-out program. This connects the portable terminal device  6  via data relaying device  5  and the communication network  3  to the data sending device  2 . In the data sending receiving system  1 , the request information stored in the RAM  34  is sent from the I/F  31  to the data relaying device  5  under control by the controller  42 . The data relaying device  5  which has received the request information from the portable terminal device  6  sends this request information via communication network  3  to the data sending device  2  under control by the controller  29 .  
         [0074]     In the data sending device  2 , the request information sent from the device  5  is entered to the interfacing unit  11 , the request information entering the interfacing unit  11  being then sent to the controller  15  and to the data retrieving processing unit  13 . The data retrieving processing unit  13  refers to the data designation information of the request information to retrieve and read out the corresponding data from the hard disc array  12 . The controller  15  controls the interfacing unit  11  to send the data read out from the hard disc array  12  via communication network  3  to the data relaying device  5  based on the request information. The music data read out from the hard disc array  12 , that is the music data designated by the user, is received by the data relaying device  5 . The controller  15  discriminates, based on the user ID information in the request information, whether or not the user of the portable terminal device  6  is the user who can use the data sending receiving system  1 , and permits only the user capable of using the data sending receiving system  1  to perform the operations indicated in the flowcharts of  FIG. 5  ff.  
         [0075]     The controller  29  of the data relaying device  5  which has received the data controls the respective blocks so that the received data will be sent to the portable terminal device  6 . Specifically, the controller  29  sends data entering the modem  21  via I/F  27  to the portable terminal device  6 , while causing the data to be stored on the hard disc of the hard disc drive  22 . This permits the data to be backed-up by the hard disc drive  22  even if the data relaying device  5  is disconnected from the portable terminal device  6  during data sending.  
         [0076]     The basic operation in the respective devices when the user acquires new musical number data in the data sending receiving system  1  is explained with reference to the flowcharts.  
         [0077]      FIG. 5  shows that plural data is designated in the data designating information of the request information sent by the portable terminal device  6  to the data sending device  2 . Specifically,  FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing processing contents of t the data sending device  2 , data relaying device  5  and the portable terminal device  6  in case the designation of new musical number data is contained in this data designation information. That is, this flowchart shows a typical processing of switching the sending mode when the data sending device  2  sends data to the data receiving device  4  depending on the possible presence of accounting for the new musical number data.  
         [0078]     The controller  15  of the data sending device  2  having received the request information refers to the data designation information of the request information at step s 1  to control the data retrieving processing unit  13  to retrieve and read out data designated by the user from the hard disc array  12 .  
         [0079]     At the next step S 2 , the controller  15  verifies whether or not data read out from the hard disc array  12  is the new musical number flag explained with reference to  FIG. 4 , based on the new musical number data. If the result of check at step S 2  is YES, that is if the data is the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 3 . If the result is NO, that is if the data is found not to be the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 5 .  
         [0080]     At step S 3 , the controller  15  refers to the payment information of the request information to check whether or not the user is willing to make payments for the new musical number data. If the result of check at step S 3  is YES, that is if it is found that the user is willing to make payments for the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 4 . If the result of check at step S 3  is NO, that is if it is found that the user is not willing to make payments for the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 6 .  
         [0081]     At step S 4 , the controller  15  controls the accounting processing unit  14  to execute preset accounting for the new musical number data before the flow moves to step S 5 .  
         [0082]     At step S 5 , the controller  15  switches to the sending mode of sending the new musical number data or other musical data, for which accounting has been made, to the data receiving device  4  with the same sound quality, that is with high sound quality, and executes data processing matched to the mode, before proceeding to step S 7 . On the other hand, the controller  15  at step S 5  switches to the sending mode of sending the new musical number data for which the user is not willing to make payments with a sound quality lower than that of other musical data, executes data processing matched to the mode, before proceeding to step S 7 . If new musical number data is sent at step S 5  or S 7 , a new musical number flag is set in a header of each data packet before sending the data packet.  
         [0083]     As for the processing at steps S 5  and S 6 , the new musical number data or other data, read out from the hard disc array  12  is directly sent at step S 5 , while new musical number data is converted at the processing at step S 6  to audio data which is sent directly or after limiting the S/N ratio or the frequency range of the new musical number data. It is also possible to send only new musical number data for one chorus without degrading the sound quality of the new musical number data.  
         [0084]     By executing the processing at step S 6 , it is possible for the data sending device  2  to send new musical number data as sample data to the user failing or not willing to make payments.  
         [0085]     The data sent in this manner from the data sending device  2  is received by the data relaying device  5  at step S 7  and sent to the portable terminal device  6  under control by the controller  29  of the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0086]     The portable terminal device  6  on reception of data from the data relaying device  5  at step S 8  detects the new musical number flag of the header of each data packet shown in  FIG. 4  by the controller  42  to check at step S 9  whether or not the data is the new musical number data. If the result of check at S 9  is YES, that is if the data is found to be the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 10  and, if otherwise, the flow moves to step S 11 .  
         [0087]     The controller  42  allows the new musical number data to be supplied to the hard disc drive  32  at step S 10  to control the data to be stored in the hard disc in the hard disc drive  32 .  
         [0088]     The controller  42  performs control at the next step S 11  to send the new musical number data or other data to the data expanding unit  38  to expand the data to sequentially reproduce the data. This permits the portable terminal device  6  to sequentially reproduce the data requested by the user and to record only the new musical number data automatically on the hard disc. On the portable terminal device  6 , the new musical number data for which payment has been made can be heard with the same sound quality as that of other musical data, while the new musical number data for which payment has not been made can be heard as data processed at step S 6 , that is as so-called sample data.  
         [0089]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the data sending device  2 , data relaying device  5  and the portable terminal device  6  in case the data sending device  2  performs so-called push type services similar to broadcasting. In this flowchart, the portable terminal device  6  designates a specified music genre to permit the data sending device  2  to start the above-mentioned genre-based sending program to sequentially send the music data of the specified genre to the data receiving device  4 .  
         [0090]     The controller  15  of the data sending device  2  on reception of the genre designation information refers at step S 2  to the genre designation information of the request information to control the data retrieving processing unit  13  to sequentially retrieve and read out the music data in the specified genre from the hard disc array  12 . In this case, the read-out musical data contains not only the new musical number data but also other music data.  
         [0091]     At the next step S 22 , the controller  15  performs control to send the read-out musical data sequentially to the data receiving device  4 . It should be noted that, when sending the new musical number data, a new musical number flag is set in the header of each data packet before sending the data.  
         [0092]     The musical data sent from the data sending device  2  is received at step S 23  by the data relaying device  5  and thence sent to the portable terminal device  6  under control by the controller  29  of the data relaying device  5 .  
         [0093]     The portable terminal device  6  on reception of the musical data from the data relaying device  5  at step S 24  detects the new musical number flag of the header of the packet of each data packet shown in  FIG. 4  to check whether or not the data is the new musical number data (step S 25 ). If the result of check at step S 25  is YES, that is if the data is found to be the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 26  and, if otherwise, the flow moves to step S 27 .  
         [0094]     The controller  42  at step S 26  sends the new musical number data to the hard disc drive  32  to control the hard disc drive  32  to record the data on the hard disc in the hard disc drive  32 .  
         [0095]     The controller  42  performs control at step S 27  to send the new musical number data or other musical data to the data expanding unit  38  to expand the data to sequentially reproduce the data. Thus, in the portable terminal device  6 , the musical data of the genre specified by the user is sequentially reproduced, while only the new musical number data is automatically recorded on the hard disc.  
         [0096]     At the next step S 28 , the controller  42  is in a state of waiting for an input indicating whether the payment should be made for each new musical number data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc drive  32 . If the result of check at step S 28  is YES, that is if an input indicates that payment should be made, the reproducing state is switched to permit the new musical number data to be reproduced with the same high quality as that of the other music data to execute the processing of step S 29 . If the result of check at step S 28  is NO, that is if an input indicates that payment is not made, the reproducing state is terminated, on the assumption that the user is not willing to reproduce data with high sound quality.  
         [0097]     The controller  15  of the data sending device  2 , which has received this request information, controls the accounting processing unit  14  at step S 30  to make preset payment for the specified new musical number data.  
         [0098]     After completion of the sending of the request information, the controller  42  of the portable terminal device  6  performs control at step S 31  to set an accounting flag indicating the end of accounting for the musical data stored in the hard disc of the hard disc drive  32 . This processing is performed by appending a flag to the leading end of the data, rewriting file allocation table (FAT) data or directory data of the hard disc or by providing the controller  42  with a table for data names of the music data stored in the hard disc and by setting a pointer in this table, as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0099]     It is also possible to provide a new step between the step S 30  and the step S 31 , to send data indicating the end of the accounting from the data sending device  2  to the portable terminal device  6  when the accounting at step S 30  comes to a close and to execute the processing of step S 31  by the portable terminal device  6  detecting this data.  
         [0100]     By the above processing, an accounting flag is set on only those of the new musical number data recorded in the hard disc of the hard disc drive  32  for which the payment has been made.  
         [0101]     In the above description, it is assumed that the data sending device  2  has started the genre-based sending program by the portable terminal device  6  sending the genre-based designation information. However, similar processing may be used when the data sending device  2  starts the new musical number data sending program by the portable terminal device  6  sending the above-mentioned new musical number request information. It this case, it suffices if the controller  15  of the data sending device  2  having received the new musical number request information retrieves the new musical number identifier to sequentially retrieve and read out new musical number data from the hard disc array  12 .  
         [0102]     If the controller  15  also receives the genre designation information along with the new musical number request information, it suffices if the data retrieving processing unit  13  is controlled at step S 21  to sequentially retrieve and read out new musical number data of the genre specified by the user. If the data sending device  2  executes this new musical number data sending program, the processing of step S 25  for checking on the side of the portable terminal device  6  if the data is the new musical number data based on the new musical number flag is unnecessary.  
         [0103]     The playback processing for reproducing the acquired new musical number data for the case of reproducing new musical number data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc drive  32  on the present portable terminal device  6  is explained with reference to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 6 . In this case, the portable terminal device  6  is taken out of the data relaying device  5  and a headphone  44  is connected to the terminal  41   a . This allows the user to hear the music of the new musical number data corresponding to the acquired new musical number data as the user carries the portable terminal device  6 . The playback processing for new musical number data by the portable terminal device  6  is explained with reference to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0104]     At step S 41  at the time of transfer to the new musical number data reproducing mode, the controller  42  of the portable terminal device  6  is in a state of waiting for a playback request for new musical number data. An actuation input signal, specifying the playback request, is kept at this step S 41  until the actuation input signal specifying the playback request is supplied from the actuating input unit  35 , with the actuation input signal transferring to step S 42  when a playback request is issued. Specifically, at step S 41 , all data names of the new musical number data stored on the hard disc are displayed on the display unit  36  and the user then selects and decides one or more of the new musical number data desired to be reproduced by the user acting on one of the actuating buttons  35   a  to  35   d  of the actuating input unit  35 .  
         [0105]     At step S 42 , the controller  42  checks whether or not the accounting flag shown in  FIG. 7  has been set on new musical number data requested to be reproduced. At step S 43 , the new musical number data found at step S 42  to be that for which the accounting flag is set (YES) is processed before the flow moves to step S 45 . The new musical number data found at step S 42  to be that for which no accounting flag has been set (NO) is processed at step S 44  before the flow moves to step S 45 .  
         [0106]     At step S 43 , the controller  42  switches the playback state of the portable terminal device  6  to a high quality playback mode. Conversely, at step S 44 , the controller  42  switches the playback state of the portable terminal device  6  to a low quality playback mode. Examples of the reproducing processing of the low quality reproducing mode include executing data expansion at a lower data expansion rate than that used for expansion processing for the high quality reproducing mode, executing monaural reproduction if the new musical number data is stereo musical data or limiting the reproducing time such as reproducing only one chorus of the new musical number data.  
         [0107]     At step S 45 , the controller  42  controls the data expanding unit  38  so that the new musical number data will be reproduced in accordance with the playback mode as set or with the reproducing state. The data sending receiving system  1  then reproduces the new musical number data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc drive  32  in such a manner that high quality reproduction is made as other musical data if the musical data as new musical number data with the accounting flag set is reproduced, while reproduction at a lower sound quality than in reproducing other musical data as at step S 44  is made by way of a sample-wise reproduction if the musical data as new musical number data devoid of the accounting flag set is reproduced.  
         [0108]     At the next step, the end waiting state is set in order to wait for termination of the reproducing operation. Thus, control dwells at this step S 46  until the reproducing processing on all designated new musical number data comes to a close and, if the data reproducing operation comes to a close, control reverts to step s 41  to repeat the processing from step S 41  to step S 46 .  
         [0109]     That is, if the new musical number data stored on the hard disc of the hard disc drive  32  is to be reproduced with the present data sending receiving system  1 , and the new musical number data to be reproduced is the new musical number data with the accounting flag set, high quality reproduction is executed as in the case of other musical data. If the new musical number data reproduced is that devoid of the accounting flag as set, sample-wise reproduction with a lower sound quality than in reproducing other musical data is executed. Thus, new musical number data for which payment has not been made can be heard repeatedly for trial sake. If there is any musical number data that has suited to the liking of the user as a result of tentative hearing, the corresponding new musical number data that can be reproduced with high sound quality similarly to other musical data can be acquired by the processing explained with reference to  FIG. 5 .  
         [0110]     In the above-described embodiment, the portable terminal device  6  and the data sending device  2  are interconnected via data relaying device  5 . It is however possible to interconnect a modem  46  accessible to the communication network  3  to the I/F  37  shown in  FIG. 3  via connection terminal  37   a  of the portable terminal device  6  to interconnect the portable terminal device  6  and the data sending device  2  without interposition of the data relaying device  5 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . In this case, it is also possible to interconnect a keyboard  45  or a display  47  to the connection terminal  37   a  for convenience in the inputting or display operations.  
         [0111]     In the above-described embodiment, there is shown a data relaying device interconnecting a sole portable terminal device  6  with the data sending device  2 . The present invention is, however, not limited to this specified constitution. For example, a data relaying device  50  capable of interconnecting plural portable terminal devices  6 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Specifically, the data relaying device  50  includes plural mounting portions  7  for connecting to the portable terminal devices  6  on a base block of the device  50  and a corresponding plural number of actuating buttons  25   a  and display units  26 . That is, with the present data relaying devices  50 , the blocks  22  to  30  making up the data relaying device  50  are provided internally so that a number of users can acquire new musical number data or musical data at a time.  
         [0112]     In the above-described embodiment, musical data for a new musical number that is on the market only for a pre-set period since it was first put on the market, such as for one month. The present invention is, however, not limited to this and any musical data not received by the user as yet, that is musical data that is new musical number data for the user, may be defined as new musical number data.  
         [0113]     In this case, it suffices if the index information of data stored in the hard disc drive  32  of the current portable terminal device  6  is sent along with the above-mentioned request data to the data sending device  2  in order for the data sending device  2  to check if the information is the new information to permit only musical data not stored in the hard disc drive  32  of the portable terminal device  6  to be sent to the portable terminal device  6 . It is also possible for the portable terminal device  6  to compare the data stored in the hard disc drive  32  to the data sent from the data sending device  2  in order to record only musical data not stored in the hard disc drive  32 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 7