Information recording apparatus and method, information processing terminal, method and apparatus, and recording medium

• US 20020076195A1
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Yasuhisa, Masukane, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

The invention provides an information recording apparatus and method by which unattended recording can be executed in accordance with a set condition. If a hard disk recorder recognizes that unattended recording set by a user cannot be executed because of insufficient free capacity of a built-in hard disk, then it transmits a notification of the insufficient capacity from a communication antenna to a mobile phone of the user. The notification transmitted from the hard disk recorder is converted by a management server into data of a data format which can be output by the mobile phone, and then transmitted to the mobile phone. The user will confirm the notification of the insufficient capacity on the mobile phone and issue a request for data of the programs already stored on the hard disk recorder. The user will select a program to be erased based on the program data stored in the hard disk recorder and erase the selected program to assure the sufficient free capacity of the hard disk recorder.

Claims

1. An information recording apparatus for recording new contents onto a recording medium, comprising:

a recording unit operable to record new contents onto the recording medium;

a notification unit operable to send a notification to an information processing terminal regarding a recording capacity of the recording medium;

a receiver operable to receive an instruction transmitted from said information processing terminal in response to said notification; and

a processor operable to process prior contents recorded on the recording medium in accordance with said instruction.

2. An information recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said notification includes titles of said prior contents recorded on the recording medium, and said processor erases a designated one of said prior contents in accordance with said instruction.

3. An information recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a presetting unit operable to preset unattended recording of said new contents onto the recording medium; and

a determination unit operable to determine a free capacity of the recording medium for recording said new contents;

said notification unit sending said notification to said information processing terminal based on said free capacity.

4. An information recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said presetting unit searches for contents to be broadcast which all belong to a designated genre and preset so that the searched out contents may be recorded onto the recording medium.

5. A method for recording new contents onto a recording medium, comprising:

initiating a process to record new contents onto the recording medium;

sending a notification to an information processing terminal regarding a recording capacity of the recording medium;

receiving an instruction transmitted from said information processing terminal in response to said notification; and

processing prior contents recorded on the recording medium in accordance with said instruction.

6. A recording medium recorded with a computer-readable program for recording new contents onto a recording medium, the program comprising:

initiating a process to record new contents onto the recording medium;

sending a notification to an information processing terminal regarding a recording capacity of the recording medium;

receiving an instruction transmitted from said information processing terminal in response to said notification; and

processing prior contents recorded on the recording medium in accordance with said instruction.

7. An information processing terminal connectable to an information processing apparatus which controls an information recording apparatus for recording contents onto a recording medium through a network, comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a notification from the information recording apparatus when the recording medium has insufficient free capacity to record new contents;

a display unit operable to display said notification;

an instruction unit operable to produce an instruction to control recording of said new contents onto the recording medium based on said notification; and

a transmitter operable to transmit said instruction to the information recording apparatus.

8. An information processing terminal according to claim 7, wherein said display unit displays titles of prior contents recorded on the recording medium, and said instruction includes one of said titles of said prior contents to be erased.

9. An information processing terminal according to claim 7, wherein said receiver receives said notification through the information processing apparatus, and said transmitter transmits said instruction to the information recording apparatus through the information processing apparatus.

10. A method for operating an information processing terminal connected to an information processing apparatus which controls an information recording apparatus for recording contents onto a recording medium through a network, comprising:

receiving a notification from the information recording apparatus when the recording medium has insufficient free capacity to record new contents;

displaying the notification;

producing an instruction to control recording of the new contents onto the recording medium based on the notification; and

transmitting the instruction to the information recording apparatus.

11. A recording medium recorded with a computer-readable program for operating an information processing terminal connected to an information processing apparatus which controls an information recording apparatus for recording contents onto a recording medium through a network, the program comprising:

receiving a notification from the information recording apparatus when the recording medium has insufficient free capacity to record new contents;

displaying the notification;

producing an instruction to control recording of the new contents onto the recording medium based on the notification; and

transmitting the instruction to the information recording apparatus.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said notification unit issues a notification of titles of prior contents recorded on the recording medium, and said transmitter transmits a signal for erasing a designated one of said prior contents in accordance with said instruction.

12. An information processing apparatus operable between an information recording apparatus for recording contents onto a recording medium and an information processing terminal for controlling the information recording apparatus through a network, comprising:

a first receiver operable to receive a first notification produced by the information recording apparatus when the recording medium has insufficient free capacity to record new contents;

a notification unit operable to issue to the information processing terminal a second notification indicating receipt of said first notification by said first receiver;

a second receiver operable to receive an instruction from the information processing terminal based on said second notification; and

a transmitter operable to transmit to the information recording apparatus a signal for controlling recording of said new contents onto the recording medium based on said instruction.

14. A method for operating an information processing apparatus interposed between an information recording apparatus for recording contents onto a recording medium and an information processing terminal for controlling the information recording apparatus through a network, comprising:

receiving a first notification produced by the information recording apparatus when the recording medium has insufficient free capacity to record new contents;

issuing to the information processing terminal a second notification indicating receipt of the first notification;

receiving an instruction from the information processing terminal based on the second notification; and

transmitting to the information recording apparatus a signal for controlling recording of the new contents onto the recording medium based on the instruction.

15. A recording medium recorded with a computer-readable program for operating an information processing apparatus interposed between an information recording apparatus for recording contents onto a recording medium and an information processing terminal for controlling the information recording apparatus through a network, the program comprising:

receiving a first notification produced by the information recording apparatus when the recording medium has insufficient free capacity to record new contents;

issuing to the information processing terminal a second notification indicating receipt of the first notification;

receiving an instruction from the information processing terminal based on the second notification; and

transmitting to the information recording apparatus a signal for controlling recording of the new contents onto the recording medium based on the instruction.