Presentation of media content
A media services interface for use in a readable medium playback device enables synchronization of disparate media playback, network directed playback of media, media playback control via displayed html/javascript file, logging of consumer identifier, media identifier, and playback device identifier in a cookie or log file. The media services comprises a command handler, a properties handler, an event generator, a cookie manager, a navigator state module, an identifier engine, an initialization module, and a bookmark manager. The command handler executes commands received from a connected network, a displayed html/javascript file, etc. The properties handler provides information relating to system states in response to queries including the status of any network connections. The event generator generates events in response to predetermined system occurrences. The cookie manager records information for later reading including the tracking of consumer identifier, playback device identifier, and readable medium identifier triples. The navigator state module maintains information regarding the state of the playback device and the interaction with the readable medium. The identifier engine carries out determination of the identity of the readable medium. The initialization module controls system initialization. The bookmark manager generates bookmarks which preserve positions in the playback of the readable medium for later recall. Network sources can provide media content and issue commands which synchronize the playback of both network and readable medium originated content over multiple playback devices through the use of the synchronization abilities of the media services.
1 . An information playback apparatus comprising:
a first acquisition unit configured to acquire first expansion information from an information storage medium;
a first storage unit configured to store the first expansion information acquired by the first acquisition unit;
a second acquisition unit configured to acquire second expansion information from an external apparatus via a communication line;
a second storage unit configured to store the second expansion information acquired by the second acquisition unit;
a transfer unit configured to transfer the second expansion information stored in the second storage unit to the first storage unit in response to a request that requires the second expansion information; and
a playback unit configured to play back the first expansion information and the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit.
2 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second storage unit sequentially stores the second expansion information sequentially acquired by the second acquisition unit, and
even when a storage process of full information of the second expansion information in the second storage unit is not complete at the time of reception of the request that requires the second expansion information, if a storage process of partial information of the second expansion information is complete, the transfer unit transfers the stored partial information to the first storage unit.
3 . An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein even when a storage process of full information of the second expansion information in the first storage unit is not complete, the playback unit sequentially plays back the first expansion information and partial information of the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit.
4 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third acquisition unit configured to acquire contents from the information storage medium, and
wherein the playback unit plays back the contents acquired by the third acquisition unit, and plays back the first expansion information and the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit in synchronism with the playback process of the contents.
5 . An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein when the playback unit cannot play back the first expansion information and the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit in synchronism with the playback process of the contents since a storage process of full information of the second expansion information in the second storage unit is not complete, the playback unit pauses the playback process of the contents.
6 . An information playback method comprising:
acquiring first expansion information from an information storage medium and storing the acquired first expansion information in a first storage unit;
acquiring second expansion information from an external apparatus via a communication line, and storing the acquired second expansion information in a second storage unit;
transferring the second expansion information stored in the second storage unit to the first storage unit in response to a request that requires the second expansion information; and
playing back the first expansion information and the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit.
7 . A method according to claim 6 , wherein the second storage unit sequentially stores the sequentially acquired second expansion information, and
even when a storage process of full information of the second expansion information in the second storage unit is not complete at the time of reception of the request that requires the second expansion information, if a storage process of partial information of the second expansion information is complete, the stored partial information is transferred to the first storage unit.
8 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein even when a storage process of full information of the second expansion information in the first storage unit is not complete, the first expansion information and partial information of the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit are sequentially played back.
9 . A method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
acquiring contents from the information storage medium, and
wherein the contents are played back, and the first expansion information and the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit are played back in synchronism with the playback process of the contents.
10 . A method according to claim 9 , wherein when the first expansion information and the second expansion information stored in the first storage unit cannot be played back in synchronism with the playback process of the contents since a storage process of full information of the second expansion information in the second storage unit is not complete, the playback process of the contents is paused.