Apparatus and method for controlling the recording of television programs

• US 6,370,317 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Kae, Hanai, Tomoyuki, Hamamoto, Kenji, Motoyoshi, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/776,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.576, H04/N.591, 386/46, 386/83, 386/95, 348/906, 360/27, 328/563, 328/564
• US Class Current: 386/291
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/161 Constructional details of the subscriber equipment H04N7/164 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling the recording of television programs are disclosed. The apparatus displays electronic program guide information superposed on a television signal. The apparatus allows a plurality of desired programs to be reserved for recording based on the electronic program guide information. An icon is continuously displayed on a television screen in connection with the television picture signal when a program is reserved for recording. An altered form of the icon may be displayed on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible due to a specific condition of a recording medium for recording the program. A corresponding method is described.

Claims

1. An electronic appliance displaying electronic program guide information superposed on a television signal, comprising reservation means for reservation of picture recording of a desired program based on said electronic program guide information, and display means for displaying an icon on a television screen in connection with the television screen, exclusive of a recording menu, when a picture recording is reserved by said reservation means.

2. The electronic appliance of claim 1, wherein said display means displays an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible due to a specific condition of a recording medium for recording the program.

5. The electronic appliance of claim 1, wherein said display means displays an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording is impossible because a recording medium is not set.

6. The electronic appliance of claim 1, wherein said display means displays an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording is impossible because a recording medium is protected from recording.

3. A method comprising:

displaying electronic program guide information superposed on a television signal;

reserving a picture recording of a desired program based on said electronic program guide information; and

continuously displaying an icon on a television screen in connection with the television signal, exclusive of a recording menu, when a picture recording menu, when a picture recording is reserved in said reserving step.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible due to a specific condition of a recording medium for recording the program.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible because a recording medium is not set.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible because a recording medium is protected from recording.

16. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible because a recording medium is protected form recording.

9. Apparatus for use with a television that displays electronic program guide information superposed on a television signal, said apparatus comprising:

reservation means for reserving picture recording of a desired program to be recorded, based on said electronic program guide information; and

display means for displaying an icon on a television screen of said television, in connection with the television signal;

said display means continuously displaying the icon on the television screen, exclusive of a recording menu, when a picture recording is reserved by said reservation means, with said icon being displayed as long as the picture recording is reserved.

10. Apparatus of claim 9, wherein said display means displays an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording is impossible due to a specific condition of a recording medium for recording the program.

11. Apparatus of claim 9, wherein said display means displays an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording is impossible because a recording medium is not set.

12. Apparatus of claim 9, wherein said display means displays an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording is impossible because a recording medium is protected from recording.

13. A method comprising:

displaying electronic program guide information superposed on a television signal;

reserving a picture recording of a desired program based on said electronic program guide information; and

continuously displaying an icon on a television screen in connection with the television signal, exclusive of a recording menu, when a picture recording is reserved in said reserving step;

wherein said icon is displayed as long as the picture recording is reserved.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible due to a specific condition of a recording medium for recording the program.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying an altered form of the icon on the television screen when execution of recording the reserved program is impossible because a recording medium is not set.