Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and server

1. An information processing system comprising:

one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a media server; and

at least two client information processing apparatuses connectable with the media server through a network;

the media server having:

a registration processing block configured to register the client information processing apparatuses with the media server, such that the at least two client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another as being part of a single client apparatus, and such that the media server receives respective client information from the client information processing apparatuses, the client information including, for each of the client information processing apparatuses: (i) device identification information including a unique identifier of the given client information processing apparatus that permits a user to differentiate the at least two client information processing apparatuses from one another, and (ii) type identification information including an indication of an overall function of the given client information processing apparatus, and

an information provision block configured to provide the client information associated with the registered client information processing apparatuses that are associated with one another to at least one of the client information processing apparatuses;

each of the client information processing apparatuses having:

an information acquisition block configured to acquire the client information from the media server,

display processing block configured to generate display data for displaying the acquired client information, and

a display operating to display the display data such that the type identification information and the device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses are displayed on the display in a way that conveys to a viewer that the client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another, wherein:

the display processing block is configured to generate the display data to include a respective type icon image for each of the client information processing apparatuses, where each type icon image provides graphical indicia of the type identification information including the indication of the overall function of the given client information processing apparatus; and

the display data is displayed on the display such that the respective type icon image is located adjacent to the respective type identification information and the respective device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein, if the information acquisition block acquires information associated with a plurality of client apparatuses, the display processing block generates display data for displaying type identification information and device identification information for each client apparatus.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein type identification information is a name of the client apparatus.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein device identification information is at least one of a MAC address, a preset nickname, and most recent access date and time of the client apparatus.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the media server further has a hold block configured to hold type identification information of the client apparatus and icon information of that client apparatus by relating these pieces of information with each other,

the registration processing block acquires type identification information and device identification information from the client apparatus and registers these pieces of information,

the information provision block provides icon information associated with type identification information to the client information processing apparatus,

the information acquisition block acquires icon information as client information, and

the display processing block generates display data for displaying an icon image.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein, if the client information processing apparatus is the client apparatus, then the display processing block generates display data for displaying client information of the client information processing apparatus concerned in a manner different from that of another client apparatus.

7. A system, comprising:

one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors;

at least two client information processing apparatuses for displaying information related with a single client apparatus registered in a media server, the media server having: (a) a registration processing block configured to register the client information processing apparatuses with the media server, such that the at least two client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another as being part of the single client apparatus, and such that the media server receives respective client information from the client information processing apparatuses, the client information including, for each of the client information processing apparatuses: (i) device identification information including a unique identifier of the given client information processing apparatus that permits a user to differentiate the at least two client information processing apparatuses from one another, and (ii) type identification information including an indication of an overall function of the given client information processing apparatus, and (b) an information provision block configured to provide the client information associated with the registered client information processing apparatuses that are associated with one another to at least one of the client information processing apparatuses, each of the client information processing apparatuses comprising:

an information acquisition block configured to acquire the client information from the media server; and

display processing block configured to generate display data for displaying the acquired client information, and

a display operating to display the display data such that the type identification information and the device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses are displayed on the display in a way that conveys to a viewer that the client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another, wherein:

the display processing block is configured to generate the display data to include a respective type icon image for each of the client information processing apparatuses, where each type icon image provides graphical indicia of the type identification information including the indication of the overall function of the given client information processing apparatus; and

the display data is displayed on the display such that the respective type icon image is located adjacent to the respective type identification information and the respective device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses.

8. A server for providing display data to at least two client information processing apparatuses, the server comprising:

one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a registration processing block configured to register the client information processing apparatuses with the media server, such that the at least two client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another as being part of a single client apparatus, and such that the media server receives respective client information from the client information processing apparatuses, the client information including, for each of the client information processing apparatuses: (i) device identification information including a unique identifier of the given client information processing apparatus that permits a user to differentiate the at least two client information processing apparatuses from one another, and (ii) type identification information including an indication of an overall function of the given client information processing apparatus, and

an information provision block configured to provide the client information associated with the registered client information processing apparatuses that are associated with one another to at least one of the client information processing apparatuses,

wherein each of the client information processing apparatuses includes: (i) an information acquisition block configured to acquire the client information from the media server, (ii) a display processing block configured to generate display data, and (iii) a display operating to display the acquired client information such that the type identification information and the device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses are displayed in a way that conveys to a viewer that the client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another, wherein:

the display processing block is configured to generate the display data to include a respective type icon image for each of the client information processing apparatuses, where each type icon image provides graphical indicia of the type identification information including the indication of the overall function of the given client information processing apparatus; and

the display data is displayed on the display such that the respective type icon image is located adjacent to the respective type identification information and the respective device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing a computer program, which when executed causes one or more computers to implement at least two client information processing apparatuses for displaying information related with a single client apparatus registered in a media server, comprising:

a registration processing block configured to register the client information processing apparatuses with the media server, such that the at least two client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another as being part of the single client apparatus, and such that the media server receives respective client information from the client information processing apparatuses, the client information including, for each of the information processing apparatuses: (i) device identification information including a unique identifier of the given client information processing apparatus that permits a user to differentiate the at least two client information processing apparatuses from one another, and (ii) type identification information including an indication of an overall function of the given client information processing apparatus, and an information provision block configured to provide the client information associated with the registered client information processing apparatuses that are associated with one another to at least one of the client information processing apparatuses, each of the information processing apparatuses, wherein:

an information acquisition block configured to acquire the client information from the media server;

display processing block configured to generate display data for displaying the acquired client information; and

a display operating to display the display data such that the type identification information and the device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses are displayed on the display in a way that conveys to a viewer that the client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another, wherein:

the display processing block is configured to generate the display data to include a respective type icon image for each of the client information processing apparatuses, where each type icon image provides graphical indicia of the type identification information including the indication of the overall function of the given client information processing apparatus; and

the display data is displayed on the display such that the respective type icon image is located adjacent to the respective type identification information and the respective device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses.

10. A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program, which when executed causes a computer to implement a server for providing display data to at least two client information processing apparatuses, including:

a registration processing block configured to register the client information processing apparatuses with the media server, such that the at least two client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another as being part of a single client apparatus, and such that the media server receives respective client information from the client information processing apparatuses, the client information including, for each of the client information processing apparatuses: (i) device identification information including a unique identifier of the given client information processing apparatus that permits a user to differentiate the at least two client information processing apparatuses from one another, and (ii) type identification information including an indication of an overall function of the given client information processing apparatus, and

an information provision block configured to provide the client information associated with the registered client information processing apparatuses that are associated with one another to at least one of the client information processing apparatuses, wherein:

each of the client information processing apparatuses includes: (i) an information acquisition block configured to acquire the client information from the media server, (ii) a display processing block configured to generate display data, and (iii) a display operating to display the acquired client information such that the type identification information and the device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses are displayed in a way that conveys to a viewer that the client information processing apparatuses are associated with one another,

the display processing block is configured to generate the display data to include a respective type icon image for each of the client information processing apparatuses, where each type icon image provides graphical indicia of the type identification information including the indication of the overall function of the given client information processing apparatus; and

the display data is displayed on the display such that the respective type icon image is located adjacent to the respective type identification information and the respective device identification information for each of the client information processing apparatuses.