Information recording apparatus and fee charging method thereof

• US 20020126983A1
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Masahiko, Kamaya, Naoki, Yoneyama, Shigeyuki, Toshikage, Hideki
• Application Number:
  US10/047,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00739 wherein the usage restriction is associated with a specific geographical region
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10833 Copying or moving data from one record carrier to another
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2575 DVD-RAMs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42669 : the medium being removable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 : Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

Charging in a reasonable manner for a fee regarding an information recording apparatus recording information into a recording medium.

Information received through a tuner or reproduced through a digital reproducing section is converted by a format conversion circuit, supplied to a digital, an analog or a memory card type recording and reproducing section where dubbing is carried out. Such information can be also stored in a storage medium such as a HDD and then supplied and dubbed in the pertinent recording and reproducing section. When the recording medium containing recorded information is unloaded, charging is done through a charging section. Once unloaded, the recording medium can be easily taken out and used, thus such a convenience can be charged as well. In addition, the charging can be done corresponding to a number of recording media containing recorded information. Furthermore, a user can verify whether recording has been carried out properly, before charging.

Claims

1. An information recording apparatus comprising:

information recording means for recording information in a first recording medium;

operating means for operating unloading of said first recording medium including said information recorded by said information recording means;

unloading means for unloading said first recording medium based on operation of said operation means; and

fee charging means for charging when said first recording medium is unloaded by said unloading means.

2. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising information receiving means for receiving transmitted information;

wherein

said information recording means records information received by said information receiving means into said first recording medium.

3. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising information storage means for storing information in an information storage;

wherein

said information recording means records information stored in said information storage by said information storage means, into said first recording medium.

4. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising information reproducing means for reproducing information from a second recording medium;

wherein

said information recording means records information reproduced by said information reproducing means into said first recording medium.

5. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising notifying means for notifying charging of fee when unloading operation is performed through said operating means.

6. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising selecting means for selecting quality of said information to be stored in said first recording medium by said information recording means;

wherein

said fee charging means changes the amount of charge according to the quality selected through said selecting means.

7. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the quality of said information is based on image quality.

8. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the quality of said information is based on broadcasting system.

9. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the quality of said information is based on number of languages.

10. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the quality of said information is based on audio format.

11. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the quality of said information is based on region code.

12. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising first selection means for selecting recording of a commercial message along with said information, in said first recording medium;

wherein

said fee charging means reduces the amount of charge when recording of said commercial message is selected by said first selection means.

13. The information recording apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising a second selection means for selecting size of said commercial message to be recorded in said first recording medium;

wherein

said fee charging means changes the amount of reduction of charge according to the size of said commercial message selected by said second selection means.

14. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fee charging means changes the amount of charge according to type of said first recording medium.

16. The fee charging method according to claim 15, wherein information to be recorded in said first recording medium comprises transmitted information.

17. The fee charging method according to claim 15, wherein information to be recorded in said first recording medium comprises information stored in an information storage.

18. The fee charging method according to claim 15, wherein information to be recorded in said first recording medium comprises information reproduced by a second recording medium.

19. The fee charging method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of notifying charging operation when said unloading operation is performed.

20. The fee charging method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of optionally selecting quality of said information to be recorded in said first recording medium, wherein an amount of charge is changed according to said quality of said information recorded in said first recording medium.

21. The fee charging method according to claim 20, wherein quality of said information is based on quality of image.

22. The fee charging method according to claim 20, wherein quality of said information is based on broadcasting system.

23. The fee charging method according to claim 20, wherein quality of said information is based on number of languages.

24. The fee charging method according to claim 20, wherein quality of said information is based on audio format.

25. The fee charging method according to claim 20, wherein quality of said information is based on region code.

26. The fee charging method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of optionally selecting recording a commercial message together with said information to be recorded in said first recording medium;

wherein

an amount of said fee is reduced when said commercial message is recorded together with said information to be recorded in said first recording medium.

27. The fee charging method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of optionally selecting size of said commercial message to be recorded in said first recording medium;

wherein

an amount of reduction of fee is changed according to the size of said commercial message recorded in said first recording medium.

28. The fee charging method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of changing an amount of charge according to a type of said first recording medium.

30. The information recording apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising information receiving means for receiving transmitted information;

wherein

said information storage means stores information received by said information receiving means in said information storage means.

31. The information recording apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising information reproducing means for reproducing information from a second recording medium;

wherein

said information storage means stores in said information storage means information reproduced by said information reproducing means.

32. The information recording apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising notifying means for notifying charge of fee when said unloading operation is performed through said operating means.

15. A charging method for charging a fee related to an information recording apparatus recording information in a first recording medium and unloading said first recording medium based on an unloading operation, the fee charging method comprising the step of charging when unloading of said first recording medium is performed.

29. An information recording apparatus comprising:

information storage means for storing information in an information storage;

information recording means for recording in a first recording medium information stored in said information storage through said information storage means;

operating means for performing unloading operation of said first recording medium having said information recorded by said information recording means;

unloading means for unloading said first recording medium based on operation of said operating means;

fee charging means for performing;

a first charging when said information is stored in said information storage means through said information storage means; and

a second charging when unloading said first recording medium through said unloading means.

33. A charging method for charging a fee related to an information recording apparatus storing information in an information storage, recording said information stored in said information storage into a first recording medium and unloading said first recording medium based on an unloading operation, the charging method comprising the step of

performing first charging when said information is stored in said information storage, and second charging when said first recording medium is unloaded.

34. The fee charging method according to claim 33, wherein information stored in said information storage is transmitted information.

35. The fee charging method according to claim 33, wherein information stored in said information storage is information reproduced through a second recording medium.

36. The fee charging method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of notifying charging of fee when unloading operation is performed.