INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND PROGRAM STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20100316356A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: KAIZU, Tatsuo, MIYAZAKI, Takuma, HANAYA, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/297
• 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:

a connecting unit configured to directly access a remote program information providing server through the internet;

an acquiring unit configured to acquire control information for controlling preset recording of a program by accessing said remote program information providing server through the connecting unit based on a user request to access the remote program information providing server;

a converter configured to convert contents described in said acquired control information into code information for setting said program preset recording to a remote recording apparatus separate from the information processing apparatus;

a transmitter configured to receive said code information from said converter and to transmit said received code information directly to said remote recording apparatus; and

a display control unit configured to display a message when said code information is improper.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control information acquired by said acquiring unit includes a program guide and said display control unit is further configured to display a program select screen according to said program guide.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display program select screen is a category selection screen including plural categories.

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

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits said code information to said remote recording apparatus by use of an infrared signal.

6. 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.

7. An information processing method comprising:

directly accessing, by a connecting unit, a remote program information providing server through the internet;

acquiring, by an acquiring unit, control information for controlling preset recording of a program by accessing said remote program information providing server through the connecting unit based on a user request to access the remote program information providing server;

converting, by a converter, contents described in said acquired control information into code information for setting said program preset recording to a remote recording apparatus separate from the information processing apparatus;

receiving, at a transmitter, said code information and transmitting said received code information directly to said remote recording apparatus; and

displaying, by a display control unit, a message when said code information is improper.

8. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said control information acquired by said acquiring unit includes a program guide and said displaying displays a program select screen according to said program guide.

9. An information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said display program select screen is a category selection screen having plural categories.

10. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said code information is G-code information.

11. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting transmits said code information to said remote recording apparatus by use of an infrared signal.

12. An information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said control information includes broadcast channel information, broadcast date, broadcast start time, and recording end time of said program.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions comprising:

first computer executable instructions to control a connecting unit to directly access a remote program information providing server through the internet;

second computer executable instructions to control an acquiring unit to acquire control information for controlling preset recording of a program by accessing said remote program information providing server through the connecting unit based on a user request to access the remote program information providing server;

third computer executable instructions to control a converter to convert contents described in said acquired control information into code information for setting said program preset recording to a remote recording apparatus separate from the information processing apparatus;

fourth computer executable instructions to control a transmitter to receive said code information from said converter and to transmit said received code information directly to said remote recording apparatus; and

fifth computer executable instructions to control a display control unit to display a message when said code information is improper.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said control information acquired by said acquiring unit includes a program guide and said display control unit controls display of a program select screen according to said program guide.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein said display program select screen is a category selection screen having plural categories.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said code information is G-code information.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said fourth computer executable instructions further control said transmitter to transmit said code information to said remote recording apparatus by use of an infrared signal.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said control information includes broadcast channel information, broadcast date, broadcast start time, and recording end time of said program.