Television program recording reservation apparatus

• US 6,344,878 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1999
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Emura, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/262,744
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N 1.100, H04/N.591, 348/460, 348/473, 348/474, 348/569, 348/570, 348/906, 348/5, 348/5.5, 348/725, 348/731, 386/83, 386/46, 725/37, 725/38, 725/39, 725/50, 725/55, 725/58
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Television program schedule information is recorded, and a plurality of television program recording reservations previously input by a viewer are registered in a reservation storing unit as a plurality of registered television program recording reservations. When an input television program recording reservation for a desired television program newly input by the viewer overlaps with a specific registered television program recording reservation for a specific television program, the television program schedule information is searched for a rebroadcast television program having the same contents as those of the desired television program, and a rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast television program is produced on condition that the rebroadcast television program recording reservation does not overlap with any of the registered television program recording reservations, and the rebroadcast television program recording reservation is registered. Accordingly, the same contents as those of the desired television program and the contents of the specific television program can be reliably recorded according to the rebroadcast television program recording reservation and the specific registered television program recording reservation, so that the viewer can entertain the desired television program and the specific registered television program played-back.

Claims

1. A television program recording reservation apparatus, comprising:

television program schedule storing means for storing a television program schedule in which a broadcasting schedule of a plurality of television programs including a specific television program is listed, one or more television programs being rebroadcasted;

television program recording reservation receiving means for receiving an input television program recording reservation for a desired television program;

television program recording reservation storing means for storing one or more television program recording reservations for one or more television programs previously received by the television program recording reservation receiving means as one or more registered television program recording reservations;

television program recording reservation overlap judging means for judging whether or not a recording time of the input television program recording reservation received by the television program recording reservation receiving means overlaps with a recording time of each registered television program recording reservation registered in the television program recording reservation storing means;

rebroadcast television program retrieving means for retrieving a rebroadcast desired television program having the same contents as those of the desired television program or a rebroadcast specific television program having the same contents as those of the specific television program from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, in cases where it is judged by the television program recording reservation overlap judging means that the recording time of the input television program recording reservation overlaps with a recording time of a specific registered television program recording reservation for the specific television program, on condition that a broadcasting time of the rebroadcast desired television program does not overlap with a recording time of any registered television program recording reservation registered in the television program recording reservation storing means or a broadcasting time of the rebroadcast specific television program does not overlap with a recording time of the input television program recording reservation or a recording time of any registered television program recording reservation other than the specific registered television program recording reservation, a recording time of a television program recording reservation for a television program being the same as a broadcasting time of the television program; and

television program recording reservation registration controlling means for producing a rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast desired television program retrieved by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means or a rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast specific television program retrieved by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, and controlling the television program recording reservation storing means to store the rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast desired television program or to store the rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast specific television program in place of the specific registered television program recording reservation for the specific television program, the rebroadcast desired television program or the rebroadcast specific television program being recorded during its broadcasting time and being played back.

2. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1 in which the rebroadcast desired television program is first retrieved from the television program schedule by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means, and the rebroadcast specific television program is retrieved from the television program schedule by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means in cases where any rebroadcast desired television program is not found.

3. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1 in which the rebroadcast specific television program is first retrieved from the television program schedule by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means, and the rebroadcast desired television program is retrieved from the television program schedule by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means in cases where any rebroadcast specific television program is not found.

4. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1 in which the television program recording reservation overlap judging means additionally judges whether or not contents of the desired television program differs from contents of the specific television program in cases where it is judged that the recording time of the input television program recording reservation overlaps with that of the specific registered television program recording reservation for the specific television program, and the input television program recording reservation is registered in the television program recording reservation storing means in place of the specific registered television program recording reservation under the control of the television program recording reservation registration controlling means in cases where it is judged that the desired television program has the same contents as the specific television program.

5. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1 in which the television program recording reservation overlap judging means additionally judges whether or not contents of the desired television program differs from contents of the specific television program in cases where it is judged that the recording time of the input television program recording reservation overlaps with that of the specific registered television program recording reservation for the specific television program, and the input television program recording reservation is canceled in cases where it is judged that the desired television program has the same contents as the specific television program.

6. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1 in which each registered television program recording reservation is registered with an importance degree in the television program recording reservation storing means, the input television program recording reservation is received with an importance degree in the television program recording reservation receiving means, a particular television program corresponding to a television program recording reservation having the lower importance degree between the input television program recording reservation and the specific registered television program recording reservation is selected by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means, and a rebroadcast television program having the same contents as those of the particular television program is retrieved from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means.

7. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 6 in which the importance degree of each television program recording reservation is input with the television program recording reservation to the television program recording reservation receiving means.

8. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

television program judging means for judging according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means whether or not the desired television program of the input television program recording reservation received by the television program recording reservation receiving means is one of a plurality of particular television programs planned to be broadcasted as a television series or a television serial;

television program series retrieving means for retrieving all the particular television programs of the television series or the television serial from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means in cases where it is judged by the television program judging means that the desired television program is one of the particular television programs; and

television program recording reservation producing means for producing either a television program lump-sum recording reservation for all the particular television programs retrieved by the television program series retrieving means or a particular television program recording reservation for one particular television program different from the desired television program according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, and controlling the television program recording reservation storing means to store the television program lump-sum recording reservation or a set of the input television program recording reservation and the particular television program recording reservation, all the particular television programs or a set of the desired television program and the particular television program being recorded according to the television program lump-sum recording reservation or the set of the input television program recording reservation and being played back.

9. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

program information recording means for recording program information of one or more played-back television programs;

favorite television program retrieving means for determining a viewer'"'"'s taste from the program information of the played-back television programs recorded in the program information recording means, and retrieving one or more favorite television programs, which each differ from any of the registered television programs of the registered television program recording reservations and suit the viewer'"'"'s taste, from the television program schedule; and

television program recording reservation producing means for producing one or more favorite television program recording reservations for the favorite television programs retrieved by the favorite television program retrieving means from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means and storing the favorite television program recording reservations in the television program recording reservation storing means, the favorite television programs suitable for the viewer'"'"'s taste being recorded according to the favorite television program recording reservations and being played back.

10. A television program recording reservation apparatus, comprising:

television program schedule storing means for storing a television program schedule in which a broadcasting schedule of a plurality of television programs including first and second television programs is listed, one or more television programs being rebroadcasted;

television program recording reservation receiving means for receiving an input television program recording reservation for a desired television program;

television program recording reservation storing means for storing a plurality of television program recording reservations for a plurality of television programs received by the television program recording reservation receiving means;

television program recording reservation overlap judging means for judging whether or not a recording time of one television program recording reservation overlaps with a recording time of another television program recording reservation for each television program recording reservation registered in the television program recording reservation storing means;

rebroadcast television program retrieving means for retrieving a rebroadcast television program having the same contents as those of a first television program from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, in cases where it is judged by the television program recording reservation overlap judging means that a recording time of a first television program recording reservation for the first television program overlaps with a recording time of a second television program recording reservation for a second television program, on condition that a broadcasting time of the rebroadcast television program does not overlap with a recording time of any of the television program recording reservations registered in the television program recording reservation storing means other than the first television program recording reservation, a recording time of a television program recording reservation for a television program being the same as a broadcasting time of the television program; and

television program recording reservation producing means for producing a rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast television program retrieved by the rebroadcast television program retrieving means according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, and controlling the television program recording reservation storing means to store the rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast television program in place of the first television program recording reservation for the first television program, the rebroadcast television program being recorded during its broadcasting time and being played back.

11. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

television program schedule renewing means for renewing the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means to updated television program schedule, the television program recording reservation storing means changing the television program recording reservations according to the updated television program schedule to make the first and second television program recording reservations overlapping with each other.

12. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

television program judging means for judging according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means whether or not the desired television program of the input television program recording reservation received by the television program recording reservation receiving means is one of a plurality of specific television programs planned to be broadcasted as a television series or a television serial;

television program series retrieving means for retrieving all the specific television programs of the television series or the television serial from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means in cases where it is judged by the television program judging means that the desired television program is one of the specific television programs; and

second television program recording reservation producing means for producing either a television program lump-sum recording reservation for all the specific television programs retrieved by the television program series retrieving means or a specific television program recording reservation for one specific television program different from the desired television program according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, and controlling the television program recording reservation storing means to store the television program lump-sum recording reservation or a set of the input television program recording reservation and the specific television program recording reservation, all the specific television programs or a set of the desired television program and the specific television program being recorded according to the television program lump-sum recording reservation or the set of the input television program recording reservation and being played back.

13. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

program information recording means for recording program information of one or more played-back television programs;

favorite television program retrieving means for determining a viewer'"'"'s taste from the program information of the played-back television programs recorded in the program information recording means, and retrieving one or more favorite television programs, which each differ from any of the registered television programs of the registered television program recording reservations and suit the viewer'"'"'s taste, from the television program schedule; and

second television program recording reservation producing means for producing one or more favorite television program recording reservations for the favorite television programs retrieved by the favorite television program retrieving means from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means and storing the favorite television program recording reservations in the television program recording reservation storing means, the favorite television programs suitable for the viewer'"'"'s taste being recorded according to the favorite television program recording reservations and being played back.

14. A television program recording reservation apparatus, comprising:

television program schedule storing means for storing a television program schedule in which a broadcasting schedule of a plurality of television programs is listed;

television program recording reservation receiving means for receiving an input television program recording reservation for a desired television program;

television program recording reservation storing means for storing one or more television program recording reservations for one or more television programs previously received by the television program recording reservation receiving means as one or more registered television program recording reservations;

television program judging means for judging according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means whether or not the desired television program of the input television program recording reservation received by the television program recording reservation receiving means is one of a plurality of specific television programs planned to be broadcasted as a television series or a television serial;

television program series retrieving means for retrieving all the specific television programs of the television series or the television serial from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means in cases where it is judged by the television program judging means that the desired television program is one of the specific television programs; and

television program recording reservation producing means for producing either a television program lump-sum recording reservation for all the specific television programs retrieved by the television program series retrieving means or a specific television program recording reservation for one specific television program different from the desired television program according to the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means, and controlling the television program recording reservation storing means to store the television program lump-sum recording reservation or a set of the input television program recording reservation and the specific television program recording reservation, all the specific television programs or a set of the desired television program and the specific television program being recorded according to the television program lump-sum recording reservation or the set of the input television program recording reservation and being played back.

15. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying means for displaying guide information of all the specific television programs retrieved by the television program series retrieving means for a viewer to select the recording of all the specific television programs or the recording of the specific television program different from the desired television program, the television program lump-sum recording reservation for all the specific television programs selected by the viewer or the specific television program recording reservation for the specific television program selected by the viewer being produced by the television program recording reservation producing means.

16. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

program information recording means for recording program information of one or more played-back television programs;

favorite television program retrieving means for determining a viewer'"'"'s taste from the program information of the played-back television programs recorded in the program information recording means, and retrieving one or more favorite television programs, which each differ from any of the registered television programs of the registered television program recording reservations and suit the viewer'"'"'s taste, from the television program schedule; and

second television program recording reservation producing means for producing one or more favorite television program recording reservations for the favorite television programs retrieved by the favorite television program retrieving means from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means and storing the favorite television program recording reservations in the television program recording reservation storing means, the favorite television programs suitable for the viewer'"'"'s taste being recorded according to the favorite television program recording reservations and being played back.

17. A television program recording reservation apparatus, comprising:

television program schedule storing means for storing a television program schedule in which a broadcasting schedule of a plurality of television programs and program information of each television program are listed;

television program recording reservation receiving means for receiving a television program recording reservation for a television program;

television program recording reservation storing means for storing one or more television program recording reservations for one or more television programs received by the television program recording reservation receiving means as one or more registered television program recording reservations for registered television programs;

program information recording means for recording program information of one or more played-back television programs;

favorite television program retrieving means for determining a viewer'"'"'s taste from the program information of the played-back television programs recorded in the program information recording means, and retrieving one or more favorite television programs, which each differ from any of the registered television programs and suit the viewer'"'"'s taste, from the television program schedule; and

television program recording reservation producing means for producing one or more favorite television program recording reservations for the favorite television programs retrieved by the favorite television program retrieving means from the television program schedule stored in the television program schedule storing means and storing the favorite television program recording reservations in the television program recording reservation storing means, the favorite television programs suitable for the viewer'"'"'s taste being recorded according to the favorite television program recording reservations and being played back.

18. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 17 in which the viewer'"'"'s taste is determined according to an occurrence frequency of each of keywords used in the program information of the played-back television programs.

19. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 17 in which the viewer'"'"'s taste determined from the program information of the played-back television programs is a viewer'"'"'s favorite title word or a viewer'"'"'s favorite genre.

20. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 17 in which program information of the registered television programs corresponding to the registered television program recording reservations registered in the television program recording reservation storing means is retrieved from the television program schedule of the television program schedule storing means by the favorite television program retrieving means, and the viewer'"'"'s taste is determined from the retrieved program information of the registered television programs in addition to the program information of the played-back television programs.

21. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 17 in which a program feature of each of television programs, which are listed in the television program schedule and differ from any of the registered television programs, is determined by the favorite television program retrieving means according to an occurrence frequency of each of keywords used in the program information of the television program, a similarity degree between the viewer'"'"'s taste and the program feature of each television program is estimated, and one or more television programs of higher similarity degrees are selected as the favorite television programs.

22. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 21 in which the favorite television program recording reservations are produced by the television program recording reservation producing means in the order of decreasing the similarity degrees of the favorite television programs and are registered in the television program recording reservation storing means in that order.

23. A television program recording reservation apparatus according to claim 17 in which a program feature of each of television programs, which are listed in the television program schedule and differ from any of the registered television programs, is determined by the favorite television program retrieving means according to an occurrence frequency of each of keywords used in the program information of the television program, a learning operation is performed according to learning data in a similarity assuming system to obtain a learned similarity assuming system, the similarity between the viewer'"'"'s taste and the program feature of each television program is assumed in the learned similarity assuming system, and one or more television programs of the higher similarity are selected as the favorite television programs.