Communication system, recording apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

• US 20060239642A1
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Namai, Mie, Yuasa, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/286
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

A communication system includes a first recording apparatus and a second recording apparatus. The first recording apparatus determines whether recording of a broadcast program is settable in the first recording apparatus based on first information for reservation of the recording and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program, and transmits third information for requesting the state of the apparatus to the second recording apparatus when the recording is not settable. The second recording apparatus receives the third information from the first recording apparatus, and transmits fourth information to the first recording apparatus in response to the third information. The first recording apparatus further receives the fourth information from the second recording apparatus, evaluates a priority level assigned to the second recording apparatus based on the fourth information, and transmits the first information to the second recording apparatus according to the priority level.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a first recording apparatus; and

a second recording apparatus,

wherein the first recording apparatus includes

determining means for determining whether or not recording of a broadcast program is settable in the first recording apparatus on the basis of first information for reservation of the recording of the broadcast program and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program, and

first transmitting means for transmitting third information for requesting the state of the apparatus corresponding to the second information to the second recording apparatus when it is determined that the recording is not settable,

the second recording apparatus includes

first receiving means for receiving the third information transmitted from the first recording apparatus, and

second transmitting means for transmitting fourth information concerning the state of the second recording apparatus to the first recording apparatus in response to the third information,

the first recording apparatus further includes

second receiving means for receiving the fourth information transmitted from the second recording apparatus, and

evaluating means for evaluating a priority level assigned to the second recording apparatus that has transmitted the fourth information on the basis of the fourth information, and

the first transmitting means transmits the first information to the second recording apparatus according to the priority level.

2. A recording apparatus for recording a broadcast program, the recording apparatus comprising:

first determining means for determining whether or not recording of a broadcast program is settable in the recording apparatus on the basis of first information for reservation of the recording of the broadcast program and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program;

transmitting means for transmitting third information for requesting the state of the apparatus corresponding to the second information to other apparatuses when it is determined that the recording is not settable;

receiving means for receiving fourth information concerning the state of the other apparatuses transmitted from the other apparatuses in response to the third information;

evaluating means for evaluating priority levels assigned to the other apparatuses that have transmitted the fourth information on the basis of the fourth information,

wherein the transmitting means transmits the first information to the other apparatuses according to the priority levels.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

first accepting means for accepting a selection of the first information according to an operation performed by a user; and

second accepting means for accepting a selection of the second information according to an operation performed by the user,

wherein the first determining means determines whether or not the recording of the broadcast program is settable in the recording apparatus on the basis of the selected first information and the selected second information.

4. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising generating means for generating the third information based on the second information,

wherein the transmitting means transmits the generated third information to the other apparatuses.

5. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising generating means for generating fifth information for sharing the recording of the broadcast program between a plurality of the other apparatuses based on the fourth information and the priority levels,

wherein the transmitting means transmits the generated fifth information to the other apparatuses.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising second determining means for determining whether or not the recording apparatus is able to record the broadcast program thereon at a time a predetermined time before a set recording start time of the broadcast program,

wherein the transmitting means transmits the third information to the other apparatuses when it is determined that the recording is not settable.

7. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving means receives fifth information transmitted from one of the other apparatuses indicating that the one apparatus is not able to record a reserved broadcast program, and

the transmitting means transmits the third information to another of the other apparatuses in response to the received fifth information.

8. A recording method for a recording apparatus for recording a broadcast program, the recording method comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not recording of a broadcast program is settable on the basis of first information for reservation of the recording of the broadcast program and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program;

controlling transmission of third information for requesting the state of the apparatus corresponding to the second information to other apparatuses when it is determined that the recording is not settable;

controlling reception of fourth information concerning the state of the other apparatuses transmitted from the other apparatuses in response to the third information; and

evaluating priority levels assigned to the other apparatuses that have transmitted the fourth information on the basis of the fourth information,

wherein in the step of controlling transmission, transmission of the first information to the other apparatuses is controlled according to the priority levels.

9. A program causing a computer to execute a recording process for recording a broadcast program, the program comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not recording of a broadcast program is settable on the basis of first information for reservation of the recording of the broadcast program and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program;

controlling transmission of third information for requesting the state of the apparatus corresponding to the second information to other apparatuses when it is determined that the recording is not settable;

controlling reception of fourth information concerning the state of the other apparatuses transmitted from the other apparatuses in response to the third information; and

evaluating priority levels assigned to the other apparatuses that have transmitted the fourth information on the basis of the fourth information,

wherein in the step of controlling transmission, transmission of the first information to the other apparatuses is controlled according to the priority levels.

10. A recording apparatus for recording a broadcast program, the recording apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving first information for requesting the state of the recording apparatus corresponding to an item for selecting an apparatus to be used to record a broadcast program, the first information being transmitted from another apparatus; and

transmitting means for transmitting second information concerning the state of the recording apparatus to the another apparatus in response to the first information.

11. The recording apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising generating means for generating the second information based on the received first information,

wherein the transmitting means transmits the generated second information to the another apparatus.

12. The recording apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising determining means for determining whether or not the recording apparatus is able to record a reserved broadcast program at the elapse of a predetermined time,

wherein the transmitting means transmits third information indicating that the recording apparatus is not able to record the broadcast program to the another apparatus when it is determined that the recording is not settable.

13. A recording method for a recording apparatus for recording a broadcast program, the recording method comprising the steps of:

controlling reception of first information for requesting for the state of the recording apparatus corresponding to an item for selecting an apparatus to be used to record a broadcast program, the first information being transmitted from another apparatus; and

controlling transmission of second information concerning the state of the recording apparatus to the another apparatus in response to the first information.

14. A program causing a computer to execute a recording process for recording a broadcast program, the program comprising the steps of:

controlling reception of first information for requesting the state of a recording apparatus corresponding to an item for selecting an apparatus to be used to record a broadcast program, the first information being transmitted from another apparatus; and

controlling transmission of second information concerning the state of the recording apparatus to the another apparatus in response to the first information.

15. A recording medium storing the program according to claim 9 or 14.

16. A communication system comprising:

a first recording apparatus; and

a second recording apparatus,

wherein the first recording apparatus includes

a determining unit determining whether or not recording of a broadcast program is settable in the first recording apparatus on the basis of first information for reservation of the recording of the broadcast program and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program, and

a first transmitter transmitting third information for requesting the state of the apparatus corresponding to the second information to the second recording apparatus when it is determined that the recording is not settable,

the second recording apparatus includes

a first receiver receiving the third information transmitted from the first recording apparatus, and

a second transmitter transmitting fourth information concerning the state of the second recording apparatus to the first recording apparatus in response to the third information,

the first recording apparatus further includes

a second receiver receiving the fourth information transmitted from the second recording apparatus, and

an evaluating unit evaluating a priority level assigned to the second recording apparatus that has transmitted the fourth information on the basis of the fourth information, and

the first transmitter transmits the first information to the second recording apparatus according to the priority level.

17. A recording apparatus for recording a broadcast program, the recording apparatus comprising:

a first determining unit determining whether or not recording of a broadcast program is settable in the recording apparatus on the basis of first information for reservation of the recording of the broadcast program and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program;

a transmitter transmitting third information for requesting the state of the apparatus corresponding to the second information to other apparatuses when it is determined that the recording is not settable;

a receiver receiving fourth information concerning the state of the other apparatuses transmitted from the other apparatuses in response to the third information;

an evaluating unit evaluating priority levels assigned to the other apparatuses that have transmitted the fourth information on the basis of the fourth information,

wherein the transmitter transmits the first information to the other apparatuses according to the priority levels.

18. A recording apparatus for recording a broadcast program, the recording apparatus comprising:

a receiver receiving first information for requesting the state of the recording apparatus corresponding to an item for selecting an apparatus to be used to record a broadcast program, the first information being transmitted from another apparatus; and

a transmitter transmitting second information concerning the state of the recording apparatus to the another apparatus in response to the first information.