Information processing apparatus and method, and program storage medium

• US 20020092023A1
• Filed: 10/22/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Takuma, Hanaya, Hiroyuki, Kaizu, Tatsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/47214 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

This invention is intended to allow user to easily and quickly set the preset recording of television programs on recording devices. When setting the preset recording of a television program on a VCR, the user of a personal computer first accesses an EPG server on the Internet to download the preset recording data of that program. The personal computer converts the downloaded preset recording data into a G-code and transmits the G-code from a video mouse to the VCR as an infrared signal. The VCR decodes the received G-code, recognizes the program to be preset for recording, and sets the preset recording of the recognized program.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring control information for controlling preset recording of a program from a program information providing apparatus;

conversion means for converting contents described in said control information acquired by said acquisition means into code information for setting said program preset recording to a recording apparatus; and

transmission means for transmitting said code information obtained by said conversion means to said recording apparatus.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said code information is G-code.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits said code information to said recording apparatus by use of an infrared signal.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control information includes broadcast channel information, broadcast date, broadcast start time, and recording end time of said program.

5. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

acquiring control information for controlling preset recording of a program from a program information providing apparatus;

converting contents described in said control information acquired by said acquisition step into code information for setting said program preset recording to a recording apparatus; and

transmitting said code information obtained by said conversion step to said recording apparatus.

6. A program storage medium storing a computer-readable program, said program storage medium comprising the steps of:

acquiring control information for controlling preset recording of a program from a program information providing apparatus;

converting contents described in said control information acquired by said acquisition step into code information for setting said program preset recording to a recording apparatus; and

transmitting said code information obtained by said conversion step to said recording apparatus.