Information reproducing apparatus

• US 6,754,438 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Matoba, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Onuaku, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US08/954,940
• Time in Patent Office: 2,435 Days
• Field of Search: 386/1, 386/39, 386/45, 386/68, 386/69, 386/70, 386/81, 386/82, 386/105, 386/106, 386/96, 386/83, 386/95, 386/125, 360/69, 360/72.1, 360/72.2, 348/7, 725/110, 725/112, 725/136, 725/500.1, 345/520-521
• US Class Current: 386/201
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 the additional signal being a character code signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9305 involving the mixing of the reproduced video signal with a non-recorded signal, e.g. a text signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

An information reproducing apparatus comprising a program storage device 11 for storing a program, a program information outputting device 13 for generating and outputting program information on the basis of information which is recorded together with the program in the program storage device 11, and a program-associated information reproducing device 15 for selecting suitable program-associated information according to the program information, and reproducing a suitable portion of the program-associated information according to the program information. According to the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, a TV program broadcasted by a broadcast station or the like and program-associated information which is generated in association with the program by the broadcast station itself or a third party other than the broadcast station can be received by viewership while the program-associated information stored in PC or the like is reproduced in synchronism with the reproduction of the TV program recorded in VCR or the like.

Claims

1. An information reproducing apparatus comprising:

a program storage device for storing a program;

a program information outputting device for generating and outputting program information on the basis of information which is recorded together with said program in said program storage device, said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting program-associated contents according to said program information, and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program-content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information;

program title information;

or program guide information;

wherein said program is supplied to an output device; and

wherein said program-associated contents are also supplied to said output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program and in accordance with said in-program time information.

2. The information reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said auxiliary information is stored on a recordable medium;

said program information is calculated using said auxiliary information; and

said program information is used to synchronize said stored program and said stored suitable portion of said program-associated information.

3. The information reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said program comprises a television program;

said program-associated contents comprises data in an HTML file;

said television program is recorded using a VCR;

said data in the HTML file is stored digitally; and

said information reproducing apparatus enables the reproduction of said television program and said data in said HTML file such that the two sources are synchronized through use of said calculated program information and such that the two sources are simultaneously displayed on a split screen of said output device.

4. An information reproducing apparatus comprising:

a program storage device for storing a program;

a program information outputting device for generating program information, said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents according to said program information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and being other than viewer preference information, program title information, or program guide information, wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device simultaneously with said program and in synchronism with said in-program time information,

wherein when said program storage device records said program, auxiliary information which is generated by said program information outputting device is recorded together with said program, and when said program storage device reproduces said program, said program storage device reproduces said auxiliary information together with said program, and said program information outputting device calculates said program information on the basis of said auxiliary information reproduced.

5. An information reproducing apparatus comprising:

a program storage device for storing a program;

a program information outputting device for generating program information said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information requesting intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting program-associated contents according to said program information and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program-content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information, program title information;

or program guide information, wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program in accordance with in-program time information,

wherein said program information comprises program ID information and said in-program time information; and

wherein when said program storage device records said program, on the basis of the contents of said program, said program information outputting device generates and stores auxiliary information which is subjected to comparison judgment by means of a pattern matching or the like when said program storage device reproduces said program, and when said program storage device reproduces said program, said program information outputting device performs the comparisons judgment between the contents of said program received from said program storage device and said auxiliary information by the pattern matching or the like to calculate said program information.

6. An information reproducing apparatus comprising:

a program storage device for storing a program;

a program information outputting device for generating program information said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information requesting intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting suitable program-associated contents according to said program information and reproducing a suitable portion of said program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program-content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information, wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device simultaneously with said program and in accordance with said in-program time information;

wherein said program information comprises program ID information and said in-program time information and

wherein when said program storage device reproduces said program, said program information outputting device performs a comparison judgment between the contents of said program received from said program storage device and auxiliary information which is prepared at the external and is stored, by means of pattern matching or the like to calculate said program information.

7. An information reproducing apparatus comprising:

a program storage device for storing a program;

a program information outputting device for generating program information said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information requesting intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting program-associated contents according to said program information and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents simultaneously with said program and according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information, wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device together with said program,

wherein said program information comprises program ID information and said in-program information; and

wherein when said program storage device reproduces said program, said program information outputting device performs a comparison judgment between the contents of said program received from said program storage device and auxiliary information which is obtained from the external, by means of pattern matching or the like to calculate said program information.

8. A program generating method, comprising:

generating and storing, during other than a vertical blanking interval, audio signal patterns for reference for one or more programs stored in a program storage device;

selecting one of said audio signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced audio data signal by means of pattern matching;

generating a program information which is associated with said audio signal pattern selected, said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program; and

selecting program-associated contents according to said program information and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program-content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information;

wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program and in accordance with said in-program time information.

9. The program information generating method as claimed in claim 8:

wherein;

said one or more programs do not contain timing information enabling synchronization with additional data sources;

each generated audio signal pattern is generated for a particular program and comprises a portion of the particular program for which it is generated; and

said program information associated with an audio signal pattern comprises in-program time information, thus enabling synchronization of the particular program with another data source which is separately stored;

further comprising;

associating in-program time information with the currently reproduced audio data signal, wherein said associated in-program time information is part of said program information associated with said audio signal pattern which corresponds to the currently reproduced audio data signal; and

synchronizing said currently reproduced audio data signal with an additional data source using said associated in-program time information.

10. A program generating method, comprising:

generating and storing, during other than a vertical blanking interval, video signal patterns for reference for one or more programs stored in a program storage device;

selecting one of said video signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced video data signal by means of pattern matching;

generating a program information which is associated with said video signal pattern selected, said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program; and

selecting program-associated contents according to said program information and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program-content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program and in accordance with said in-program time information.

11. The program information generating method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said one or more programs do not contain timing information enabling synchronization with additional data sources;

each generated video signal pattern is generated for a particular program and comprises a portion of the particular program for which it is generated; and

said program information associated with a video signal pattern comprises in-program time information, thus enabling synchronization of the particular program with another data source which is separately stored.

12. The program information generating method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

associating in-program time information with said currently reproduced video data signal, wherein said associated in-program time information is part of said program information associated with said video signal pattern which corresponds to said currently reproduced video data signal; and

synchronizing said currently reproduced video data signal with an additional data source using said associated in-program time information.

13. The program information generating method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said one or more programs are television programs and are recorded on a VCR, and wherein the method enables synchronization of said particular program with data in an HTML file which is separately stored.

14. A program generating method, comprising:

generating and storing, during other than a vertical blanking interval, audio signal patterns and video signal patterns for reference for one or more programs stored in a program storage device;

selecting one of said audio signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced audio data signal by means of pattern matching;

selecting one of said video signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced video data signal by means of pattern matching;

determining a portion in said one or more programs by selecting alternatively said selected audio signal pattern or said selected video signal pattern based on intensity of pattern matching;

generating a program information which is associated with said determined portion, said program information comprising program ID and in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program;

selecting program-associated contents according to said program information and reproducing a portion of said program-associated contents according to said program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and containing additional program-content separate and distinct from said program information and said program and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program in accordance with said in-program time information.

15. A program information generating method, comprising:

generating and storing, during other than a vertical blanking interval, audio signal patterns and video signal patterns for reference for one or more programs;

selecting one of said audio signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced audio data signal by means of pattern matching of said audio patterns without regard to said video patterns;

selecting one of said video signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced video data signal by means of pattern matching of said video patterns without regard to said audio patterns;

determining a portion in said one or more programs by preferentially selecting the result of said audio signal pattern selection and secondly selecting the result of said video signal pattern selection; and

generating a program information which is associated with said determined portion;

wherein said video signal pattern selection may be omitted when the result of said audio signal pattern selection is definite.

16. A program information generating method, comprising:

generating and storing, other than a vertical blanking interval, audio signal patterns and video signal patterns for reference for one or more programs;

selecting one of said video signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced video data signal by means of pattern matching of said video patterns without regard to said audio patterns;

selecting one of said audio signal patterns which corresponds to a currently reproduced audio data signal by means of pattern matching of said audio patterns without regard to said video patterns;

determining a portion in said one or more programs by preferentially selecting the result of said video signal pattern selection and secondly selecting the result of said audio signal pattern selection; and

generating a program information which is associated with said determined portion;

wherein said audio signal pattern selection may be omitted when the result of said video signal pattern selection is definite.

17. An information reproducing apparatus which comprises:

a program storage device for storing a program;

means for generating auxiliary information which consists of program ID information and in-program time information which are associated with the program;

means for embedding the auxiliary information in the program when the program is stored in said program storage device, said auxiliary information recorded during other than a vertical blanking interval;

means for obtaining the program ID and in-program time information associated with the program when the program is reproduced from said program storage device, said in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting and reproducing program-associated contents corresponding to the program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being stored in other than said program storage device and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information

wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program in accordance with said in-program time information.

18. An information reproducing apparatus which comprises:

a program storage device for storing a program;

means for generating an overall cue signal for the whole of the program and segment cues for segments of the program divided by time on the basis of closed caption or video and audio data of the program;

means for generating auxiliary information which consists of a pair of program ID information and the overall cue associated therewith and pairs of in-program time information and the segment cue associated therewith, said in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program and said auxiliary information recorded during other than a vertical blanking interval;

an auxiliary information storage device for storing the auxiliary information which is supplied from said means for generating auxiliary information when the program is stored in said program storage device;

means for obtaining the program ID and in-program time information associated with the program reproduced from said program storage device by comparing contents of the program reproduced from said program storage device with the overall cue and segment cues with pattern matching method; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting and reproducing program-associated contents corresponding to the program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being separate and distinct from said program and said auxiliary information and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information

wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program in accordance with said in-program time information.

19. An information reproducing apparatus which comprises:

a program storage device for storing a program;

an auxiliary information storage device for storing an auxiliary information which consists of a pair of program ID information and an overall cue associated therewith and pairs of in-program time information and a segment cue associated therewith, said in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program, said auxiliary information being supplied from external, said auxiliary information recorded in other than a vertical blanking interval, said overall cue being prepared for the whole of the program, said segment cues being prepared for segments of the program divided by time on the basis of closed caption or video and audio data of the program;

means for obtaining the program ID and in-program time information associated with the program reproduced from said program storage device by comparing contents of the program reproduced from said program storage device with the overall cue and segment cues with pattern matching method; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting and reproducing program-associated contents corresponding to the program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being separate and distinct from said program and said auxiliary information and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information

wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program in accordance with said in-program time information.

20. An information reproducing apparatus which comprises:

a program storage device for storing a program;

an auxiliary information inputting device for inputting an auxiliary information which consists of a pair of program ID information and an overall cue associated therewith and pairs of in-program time information and a segment cue associated therewith, said auxiliary information being supplied from external in real-time with the reproduction of the program from said program storage device, said auxiliary information recorded during other than a vertical blanking interval, said overall cue being prepared for the whole of the program, said segment cues being prepared for segments of the program divided by time on the basis of closed caption or video and audio data of the program;

means for obtaining the program ID and in-program time information associated with the program reproduced from said program storage device by comparing contents of the program reproduced from said program storage device with the overall cue and segment cues with pattern matching method, said in-program time information representing intermediate times in said program; and

a program-associated contents reproducing apparatus for selecting and reproducing program-associated contents corresponding to the program ID and at a timing dictated by said in-program time information, said program-associated contents being separate and distinct from said program and said auxiliary information and being other than viewer preference information, program title information or program guide information

wherein said program-associated contents are supplied to an output device in synchronism with and simultaneously with said program in accordance with said in-program time information.