Control device, control method, electric apparatus, control method of an electric apparatus, electric apparatus system, control method of an electric apparatus system, and transmission medium

• US 20010011996A1
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nashida, Tatsushi, Terakado, Tomoko, Hanai, Tomoyuki, Furudate, Yukio
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Radio waves transmitted from the antenna of a broadcasting station are received by the antenna of a television receiver. The television receiver extracts an EPG from the received radio waves and transmits it to a remote controller via an infrared transmission/reception section. The remote controller displays the received EPG on a LCD and is then rendered in a state of waiting for selection of a program. If some program is selected and then a reserve button is manipulated, the remote controller transmits a control command for a recording reservation to a video tape recorder. The video tape recorder receives the control command with an infrared transmission/reception section, whereby the recording reservation of the designated program is set.

Claims

1. A control device which controls, by transmitting a control signal to it, an electric apparatus that receives information transmitted via a transmission medium, comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

receiving means for receiving additional information that has been extracted from the received information and transmitted by the electric apparatus; and

output means for outputting the additional information received by the receiving means to a display device.

2. The control device according to

claim 1

, wherein the additional information is an EPG that is included in the information received by the electric apparatus.

3. The control device according to

claim 1

, wherein the additional information is advertisement information that is included in the information received by the electric apparatus.

4. The control device according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

selecting means for selecting information from the additional information received by the receiving means; and

detachable storing means for storing the information selected by the selecting means.

5. The control device according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

second storing means for storing the additional information received by the receiving means;

second selecting means for selecting information from the additional information stored in the second storing means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the information selected by the second selecting means to a second electric apparatus.

6. The control device according to

claim 1

, further comprising notifying means for notifying a user of reception of the additional information when the receiving means automatically receives the additional information.

18. The control device according to

claim 4

, wherein the detachable storing means is an IC card.

19. The control device according to

claim 4

, further comprising erasing means for erasing the information stored in the detachable storing means.

20. The control device according to

claim 1

, wherein the control device instructs the electric apparatus to transmit the additional information.

21. The control device according to

claim 1

, further comprising notifying means for notifying a user of reception of the additional information when the receiving means receives the additional information that is transmitted in response to an instruction that was issued from the control device.

25. The control device according to

claim 1

, wherein the output means outputs that part of the additional information which relates to a channel of current reception of the electric apparatus.

26. The control device according to

claim 1

, wherein the output means outputs that part of the additional information which relates to information that will be received by the electric apparatus from a present time onward.

27. The control device according to

claim 5

, wherein the second electric apparatus is a recording apparatus, and wherein the recording apparatus performs a recording reservation based on the information transmitted from the control device.

28. The control device according to

claim 3

, wherein the advertisement information includes coupon information.

29. The control device according to

claim 3

, wherein the advertisement information includes URL information.

30. The control device according to

claim 4

, wherein the additional information is advertisement information that is included in the information received by the electric apparatus, and wherein the advertisement information is stored in a prescribed area of the detachable storing means.

31. The control device according to

claim 5

, wherein the second electric apparatus is a personal computer, and wherein the personal computer accesses a server based on the information transmitted from the control device.

32. The control device according to

claim 1

, further comprising category storing means for storing a category favored by a user, wherein the receiving means receives only that part of the additional information transmitted from the electric apparatus which belongs to the category stored in the category storing means.

7. A control method for controlling, by transmitting a control signal to it, an electric apparatus that receives information transmitted via a transmission medium, comprising:

a transmitting step of transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

a receiving step of receiving additional information that has been extracted from the received information and transmitted by the electric apparatus; and

an output step of outputting the additional information received in the receiving step to a display device.

8. A transmission medium for transmitting a computer program that is used in a control device which controls, by transmitting a control signal to it, an electric apparatus that receives information transmitted via a transmission medium, the computer program comprising:

a transmitting step of transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

a receiving step of receiving additional information that has been extracted from the received information and transmitted by the electric apparatus; and

an output step of outputting the additional information received in the receiving step to a display device.

9. A control method comprising the steps of:

storing the computer program transmitted from the transmission medium according to

claim 8

; and

performing a control by using the computer program.

10. An electric apparatus which receives information that is transmitted via a transmission medium and performs an operation in accordance with a control signal that is transmitted from a control device, comprising:

first receiving means for receiving the control signal transmitted from the control device;

control means for performing a control in accordance with the control signal received by the first receiving means;

second receiving means for receiving the information transmitted via the transmission medium;

extracting means for extracting additional information from the information received by the second receiving means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the additional information extracted by the extracting means to the control device.

22. The electric apparatus according to

claim 10

, wherein the electric apparatus is a personal computer.

23. The electric apparatus according to

claim 10

, wherein the electric apparatus is a television receiver.

24. The electric apparatus according to

claim 10

, wherein the electric apparatus is a recording apparatus.

11. A control method of an electric apparatus which receives information that is transmitted via a transmission medium and performs an operation in accordance with a control signal that is transmitted from a control device, comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving the control signal transmitted from the control device;

a control step of performing a control in accordance with the control signal received in the first receiving step;

a second receiving step of receiving the information transmitted via the transmission medium;

an extracting step of extracting additional information from the information received in the second receiving step; and

a transmitting step of transmitting the additional information extracted in the extracting step to the control device.

12. A transmission medium for transmitting a computer program used in an electric apparatus which receives information that is transmitted via a transmission medium and performs an operation in accordance with a control signal that is transmitted from a control device, the computer program comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving the control signal transmitted from the control device;

a control step of performing a control in accordance with the control signal received in the first receiving step;

a second receiving step of receiving the information transmitted via the transmission medium;

an extracting step of extracting additional information from the information received in the second receiving step; and

a transmitting step of transmitting the additional information extracted in the extracting step to the control device.

13. A control method of an electric apparatus, comprising the steps of:

storing the computer program transmitted from the transmission medium according to

claim 12

; and

controlling the electric apparatus by using the computer program.

14. An electric apparatus system comprising an electric apparatus which receives information that is transmitted via a transmission medium and a control device which controls the electric apparatus by transmitting a control signal to the electric apparatus, the electric apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving the control signal transmitted from the control device;

control means for performing a control in accordance with the control signal received by the first receiving means;

second receiving means for receiving the information transmitted via the transmission medium;

extracting means for extracting additional information from the information received by the second receiving means; and

first transmitting means for transmitting the additional information extracted by the extracting means to the control device, the control device comprising;

second transmitting means for transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

third receiving means for receiving the additional information transmitted from the first transmitting means of the electric apparatus; and

output means for outputting the additional information received by the third receiving means to a display device.

15. A control method of an electric apparatus system comprising an electric apparatus which receives information that is transmitted via a transmission medium and a control device which controls the electric apparatus by transmitting a control signal to the electric apparatus, an electric-apparatus-side part of the control method comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving the control signal transmitted from the control device;

a control step of performing a control in accordance with the control signal received in the first receiving step;

a second receiving step of receiving the information transmitted via the transmission medium;

an extracting step of extracting additional information from the information received in the second receiving step; and

a first transmitting step of transmitting the additional information extracted in the extracting step to the control device, a control-device-side part of the control method comprising;

a second transmitting step of transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

a third receiving step of receiving the additional information transmitted in the first transmitting step of the electric-apparatus-part of the control method; and

an output step of outputting the additional information received in the third receiving step to a display device.

16. A transmission medium for transmitting a computer program used in an electric apparatus system comprising an electric apparatus which receives information that is transmitted via a transmission medium and a control device which controls the electric apparatus by transmitting a control signal to the electric apparatus, an electric-apparatus-side part of the computer program comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving the control signal transmitted from the control device;

a control step of performing a control in accordance with the control signal received in the first receiving step;

a second receiving step of receiving the information transmitted via the transmission medium;

an extracting step of extracting additional information from the information received in the second receiving step; and

a first transmitting step of transmitting the additional information extracted in the extracting step to the control device, a control-device-side part of the computer program comprising;

a second transmitting step of transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

a third receiving step of receiving the additional information transmitted in the first transmitting step of the electric-apparatus-part of the control method; and

an output step of outputting the additional information received in the third receiving step to a display device.

17. A control method of an electric apparatus system, comprising the steps of:

storing the computer program transmitted from the transmission medium according to

claim 16

; and

controlling the electric apparatus system by using the computer program.