Control device, control method, electric apparatus, control method of an electric apparatus, electric apparatus system, control method of an electric apparatus system, and transmission medium

• US 6,983,484 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nashida, Tatsushi, Terakado, Tomoko, Hanai, Tomoyuki, Furudate, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sajous, Wesner
• Application Number:
  US11/083,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 725 38- 56, 725 79- 92, 725/102, 725/103, 725/153, 725112-118, 348563-569, 348/570, 348/553, 348/725, 348/906, 345714-718, 345555-556, 711/100, 711/115
• US Class Current: 725/142
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• 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 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Radio waves transmitted from the antenna of a broadcasting station are received by the antenna of a television receiver. The television receiver extracts an EPG from the received radio waves and transmits it to a remote controller via an infrared transmission/reception section. The remote controller displays the received EPG on a LCD and is then rendered in a state of waiting for selection of a program. If some program is selected and then a reserve button is manipulated, the remote controller transmits a control command for a recording reservation to a video tape recorder. The video tape recorder receives the control command with an infrared transmission/reception section, whereby the recording reservation of the designated program is set.

Claims

1. A control method for controlling, by transmitting a control signal, an electric apparatus that receives information transmitted via a transmission medium, comprising the steps of:

transmitting the control signal to the electric apparatus;

receiving coupon information that has been extracted from the received information and transmitted by the electric apparatus;

outputting the coupon information received in the receiving step to a display device;

storing, based on a user controlled input, said coupon information into a detachable IC memory card; and

selectively deleting said coupon information stored in said memory based on a user controlled input, wherein

said detachable IC memory card is configured to be removable and utilized in an external process.