Portable terminal, information processing apparatus, content display system and content display method

What is this patent about?

’020 is related to the field of content display systems and methods for coordinating the viewing experience between a portable terminal and an external information device. The background context involves the increasing prevalence of internet-connected televisions and mobile devices, where users often face cumbersome manual steps when attempting to transition a viewing session from a small mobile screen to a larger home display.

The underlying idea behind ’020 is to create a seamless handoff mechanism that transfers the active state of a content session—such as a specific URL or broadcast channel—from a mobile device to a larger display with a single user action. By transmitting identification information and then automatically reconfiguring the mobile device to act as a remote control, the invention eliminates the need for the user to manually search for or re-enter content details on the secondary device.

The claims of ’020 focus on a display apparatus equipped with both a digital broadcast receiver and a network communication module for internet access. The independent claims specifically cover the hardware and logic required to receive a content identifier from an external mobile terminal, fetch the corresponding internet content, and automatically swap the current broadcast video for the new internet-sourced video while simultaneously accepting operation instructions from that same mobile terminal.

In practice, the system works by establishing a communication link between the mobile terminal and the display apparatus, often triggered by a specific button press on the mobile interface. Once the identifier is sent, the display apparatus terminates its current task to prioritize the incoming content. A key implementation detail is the dual-input capability, where the display apparatus remains responsive to both the mobile terminal’s relayed instructions and a traditional infrared remote controller.

This approach differs from prior solutions by automating the transition and the subsequent control logic in one workflow. Rather than just acting as a passive receiver, the display apparatus in ’020 integrates the mobile device into its control hierarchy, allowing for the transfer of user operation histories or session states. This ensures that dynamic content, such as authenticated web pages or interactive media, maintains its specific state during the transition between screens.