REMOTE CONTROL TERMINAL, INFORMATION ACQUIRING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROVIDING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROVIDING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROVIDING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20090125946A1
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: FUKUDA, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26283 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program

Abstract

A commander includes a program identification information acquiring unit which acquires program identification information to designate a program to be watched by a receiving terminal, a channel selection control unit which remote-controls a channel selecting process by the receiving terminal based on program identification information, a scenario information acquiring unit which acquires scenario information included in electronic content guide information related to the program from an ECG server based on the program identification information, a display unit which displays the scenario information related to the program, and a display control unit which can control a display of the scenario information to change a display state of the scenario information related to the program depending on a display state of the scenario information on the receiving terminal based on predetermined setting information or predetermined operation information. Therefore, efficient use and effective provision of program meta information can be obtained.

Claims

1. A remote control terminal which can communicate with an information providing apparatus which provides electronic content guide information related to a program and an information acquiring apparatus which acquires and displays video information of the program and the electronic content guide information, and which can remote-control the information acquiring apparatus, comprising:

a program identification information acquiring unit which acquires program identification information to designate a program watched by using the information acquiring apparatus;

a channel selection control unit which remote-controls a channel selecting process by the information acquiring apparatus based on the acquired program identification information;

a scenario information acquiring unit which acquires scenario information included in the electronic content guide information related a program to be watched based on the acquired program identification information;

a display unit which displays the scenario information related to the program to be watched; and

a display control unit which can control the display unit such that a display state of the scenario information related to the program to be watched is changed depending on a display state of the scenario information in the information acquiring apparatus based on predetermined setting information or predetermined operation information.

2. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, wherein

when a display of the scenario information is stopped in the information acquiring apparatus, the display control unit controls the display unit to display the scenario information the display of which is stopped.

3. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the scenario information is displayed by the information acquiring apparatus, the display control unit controls the display unit to display scenario information different from the scenario information displayed by the information acquiring apparatus.

4. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the display unit to display scenario information matched with preference information preset for each user.

5. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a program identification information communication unit which communicates program identification information to specify the watched program to at least any one of the information acquiring apparatus and another remote control terminal.

6. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, further comprising

a program information acquiring unit which acquires program information included in an electronic content guide information and expressing a watchable program, and wherein

the program identification information acquiring unit acquires program identification information to specify a program corresponding to designated program information of the pieces of acquired program information, and

the display control unit controls the display unit to update a display of the program information changed with passage of time on real time.

7. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, further comprising

a history information storage unit which stores at least any one of program identification information to specify a program watched for a predetermined period of time or more, identification information of scenario information acquired with respect to the watched program, and the scenario information, and wherein

the display control unit controls the display unit to display at least any one of the scenario information acquired from the information providing apparatus based on the stored program identification information or the identification information of the scenario information and the stored scenario information.

8. The remote control terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the program information acquiring unit acquires program information expressing at least any one of a program which was provided in the past, a program which is being provided at the present, and a program which will be provided in the future from the information providing apparatus,

the program identification information acquiring unit acquires program identification information to specify a program corresponding to designated program information of pieces of acquired program information,

the scenario information acquiring unit acquires the scenario information related to a program corresponding to the acquired program identification information from the information providing apparatus, and

the display control unit controls the display unit to display the acquired program information and the scenario information.

9. The remote control terminal according to claim 8, further comprising

a history information updating unit which, when the remote control terminal communicates with another remote control terminal and stores updated scenario information newer than its own stored scenario information in the other remote control terminal, updates its own stored scenario information by the new scenario information acquired from the other remote control terminal.

10. The remote control terminal according to claim 8, further comprising

further includes a programming operation process unit which acquires and stores programming operation information to a program which will be provided in the future and provides the stored programming operation information to at least any one of the information acquiring apparatus, another information acquiring apparatus, and information recording apparatus.

11. An information acquiring apparatus which can communicate with an information providing apparatus which provides electronic content guide information related to a program and a remote control terminal which acquires and displays the electronic content guide information and which can remote-control the information acquiring apparatus, and which acquires and displays video information and the electronic content guide information of the program, comprising:

a channel selecting unit which performs a channel selecting operation based on program identification information provided from the remote control terminal;

a video information receiving unit which receives the video information of a program to be watched based on the program identification information;

a scenario information acquiring unit which acquires scenario information included in the electronic content guide information related to the program to be watched based on the program identification information;

a display unit which displays the video information of the program and the scenario information related to the program to be watched; and

a display control unit which can control the display unit to change a display state of the scenario information related to the program to be watched depending on a display state of the scenario information on the remote control terminal based on predetermined setting information or predetermined operation information.

12. An information acquiring apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising

a program identification information providing unit which provides program identification information to specify the watched program to the remote control terminal.

13. An information providing apparatus which can communicate with an information acquiring apparatus which acquires video information and electronic content guide information of a program and a remote control terminal which acquires and displays the electronic content guide information and which can remote-control the information acquiring apparatus, and which provides the electronic content guide information related to the program, comprising:

a scenario information storage unit which stores scenario information included in the electronic content guide information related to a program in association with program identification information; and

a scenario information providing unit which provides, based on the program identification information provided by the information acquiring apparatus and the remote control terminal, scenario information which is related to a program watched by using the information acquiring apparatus and which is configured to be able to be displayed in different display states between the information acquiring apparatus and the remote control terminal to the information acquiring apparatus and the remote control terminal.

14. The information providing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising

a preference information storage unit which stores preference information preset for each user of the remote control terminal in association with user identification information, and wherein

the scenario information providing unit provides scenario information matched with preference information of the user based on the user identification information provided from the remote control terminal.

15. An information providing system in which an information providing apparatus which provides electronic content guide information related to a program, an information acquiring apparatus which acquires and displays video information and the electronic content guide information of the program, and a remote control terminal which can remote-control the information acquiring apparatus can communicate with each other, wherein

the information providing apparatus comprises:

a scenario information storage unit which stores scenario information included in the electronic content guide information related to a program in association with program identification information; and

a scenario information providing unit which provides, based on the program identification information provided by the information acquiring apparatus and the remote control terminal, scenario information which is related to a program watched by using the information acquiring apparatus and which is configured to be able to be displayed in different display states between the information acquiring apparatus and the remote control terminal to the information acquiring apparatus and the remote control terminal,

the information acquiring apparatus comprises;

a channel selecting unit which performs a channel selecting operation based on the program identification information provided from the remote control terminal;

a video information receiving unit which receives the video information of the program to be watched;

a first scenario information acquiring unit which acquires the scenario information related to the program to be watched from the information providing apparatus based on the program identification information;

a first display unit which displays the video information of the program and the scenario information related to the program to be watched;

a first display control unit which can control the first display unit to change a display state of the scenario information related to the program to be watched depending on a display state of the scenario information on the remote control terminal based on predetermined setting information or predetermined operation information, and

the remote control terminal comprises;

a program identification information acquiring unit which acquires the program identification information to designate a program watched by using the information acquiring apparatus;

a channel selection control unit which remote-controls a channel selecting process by the information acquiring apparatus based on the acquired program identification information;

a second scenario information acquiring unit which acquires the scenario information related to the program to be watched based on the acquired program identification information;

a second display unit which displays the scenario information related to the program to be watched; and

a second display control unit which can control the second display unit such that the display state of the scenario information related to the program to be watched is changed depending on the display state of the scenario information in the information acquiring apparatus based on the predetermined setting information or the predetermined operation information.

16. An information providing method applied to an information providing system in which an information providing apparatus which provides electronic content guide information related to a program, an information acquiring apparatus which acquires and displays video information and the electronic content guide information of the program, and a remote control terminal which can remote-control the information acquiring apparatus can communicate with each other, comprising the steps of:

by the remote control terminal,

acquiring program identification information to designate a program watched by using the information acquiring apparatus;

remote-controlling a channel selecting process by the information acquiring apparatus based on the acquired program identification information;

acquiring scenario information included in the electronic content guide information related a program to be watched from the information providing apparatus based on the acquired program identification information;

displaying the scenario information related to the program to be watched; and

controlling a display of the scenario information to change a display state of the scenario information related to the program to be watched depending on a display state of the scenario information in the information acquiring apparatus based on predetermined setting information or predetermined operation information.

17. A program to cause a computer to execute an information providing method applied to an information providing system in which an information providing apparatus which provides electronic content guide information related to a program, an information acquiring apparatus which acquires and displays video information and the electronic content guide information of the program, and a remote control terminal which can remote-control the information acquiring apparatus can communicate with each other, wherein the information providing method comprises the steps of:

by the remote control terminal,

acquiring program identification information to designate a program watched by using the information acquiring apparatus;

remote-controlling a channel selecting process by the information acquiring apparatus based on the acquired program identification information;

acquiring scenario information included in the electronic content guide information related a program to be watched from the information providing apparatus based on the acquired program identification information;

displaying the scenario information related to the program to be watched; and

controlling a display of the scenario information to change a display state of the scenario information related to the program to be watched depending on a display state of the scenario information in the information acquiring apparatus based on predetermined setting information or predetermined operation information.