Recording/Reproducing Apparatus and Display Control Method

• US 20080138035A1
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: NISHIURA, HIROMI
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/95
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4532 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

If a program is reproduced on a thumbnail image screen in thumbnail image display, it is effective for judging whether the program is a desired program. A program desired by a user is viewed at a timing not intended by the user because important scenes are viewed beforehand on the thumbnail image display screen in some cases. The recording/reproducing apparatus is structured in such a manner that a thumbnail image display method can be automatically changed for each program in accordance with whether it is highly recognized that the program is viewed by a user.

Claims

1. A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a content in a recording medium or reproducing a content from the recording medium, comprising:

a recording unit for recording said content in said recording medium;

a reproducing unit for reproducing said content from said recording medium; and

a control unit for controlling said recording unit and said reproducing unit,

wherein said control unit sets a thumbnail image display method of displaying a thumbnail image representative of said content in accordance with a view state of said content.

2. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein;

said control unit sets as said thumbnail image display method a first display method of displaying a portion of characteristic portions of said content excluding a portion having a high importance degree, if the view state of said content indicates that said content has already be viewed; and

said control unit sets said thumbnail image display method in accordance with a record method used for recording said content, if the view state of said content indicates that said content has not been viewed.

3. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said control unit sets as said thumbnail image display method said first display method or a second display method of displaying a portion having a high importance degree among characteristic portions of said content, if said record method is automatic recording by the recording/reproducing apparatus; and

said control unit sets as said thumbnail image display method a start scene display method of displaying a start scene of said content, said first display method or said second display method, in accordance with a lapse time from day/time when said content was recorded, if said record method is designation recording designated by a user of the recording/reproducing apparatus.

4. A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a content in a recording medium or reproducing a content from the recording medium, comprising:

a recording unit for recording said content in said recording medium;

a reproducing unit for reproducing said content from said recording medium; and

a control unit for controlling said recording unit and said reproducing unit,

wherein said control unit sets a display method for a thumbnail image representative of said content in accordance with a record method used for recording said content.

5. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said control unit sets as said thumbnail image display method a first display method of displaying a portion of characteristic portions of said content excluding a portion having a high importance degree or a second display method of displaying a portion having a high importance degree among characteristic portions of said content, if said record method is automatic recording by the recording/reproducing apparatus; and

said control unit sets as said thumbnail image display method a start scene display method of displaying a start scene of said content, said first display method or said second display method, in accordance with a lapse time from day/time when said content was recorded, if said record method is designation recording designated by a user of the recording/reproducing apparatus.

6. A display control method for a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a content in a recording medium or reproducing a content from the recording medium, wherein:

a first display method of displaying a portion of characteristic portions of said content excluding a portion having a high importance degree is set as a thumbnail image display method of displaying a thumbnail image representative of said content, if the view state of said content indicates that said content has already been viewed; and

said thumbnail image display method is set in accordance with a record method used for recording said content, if the view state of said content indicates that said content has not been viewed.

7. The display control method according to claim 6, wherein:

said first display method or a second display method of displaying a portion having a high importance degree among characteristic portions of said content is set as said thumbnail image display method, if said record method is automatic recording by the recording/reproducing apparatus; and

a start scene display method of displaying a start scene of said content, said first display method or said second display method is set as said thumbnail image display method, in accordance with a lapse time from day/time when said content was recorded, if said record method is designation recording designated by a user of the recording/reproducing apparatus.

8. A display control method for a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a content in a recording medium or reproducing a content from the recording medium, wherein:

a first display method of displaying a portion of characteristic portions of said content excluding a portion having a high importance degree or a second display method of displaying a portion having a high importance degree among characteristic portions of said content is set as a thumbnail image display method of displaying a thumbnail image representative of said content, if a record method used for recording said content is automatic recording by the recording/reproducing apparatus; and

a start scene display method of displaying a start scene of said content, said first display method or said second display method is set as said thumbnail image display method, in accordance with a lapse time from day/time when said content was recorded, if said record method is designation recording designated by a user of the recording/reproducing apparatus.