Information processing system, portable information terminal apparatus, information processing method, program information providing apparatus, program information providing method, recording/reproducing apparatus, recording/reproducing method, computer-program storage medium, and computer program
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An information processing system comprising:
- a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs,a portable information terminal apparatus owned by a user, andan information processing apparatus having recording and reproducing functions;
wherein said program information providing apparatus includes;
storing means for storing said program information; and
providing means for retrieving said program information from said storing means before providing the retrieved program information to said portable information terminal apparatus, said providing means retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus,wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, andwherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels;
convertor means coupled to said storing means and providing means, said convertor means converting, under control of said providing means, said program information retrieved from said storing means from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval,wherein said portable information terminal apparatus includes;
acquiring means for acquiring said program information from said program information providing apparatus;
establishing means for establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on said program information acquired by said acquiring means; and
transmitting means for transmitting to said information processing apparatus said preset information established by said establishing means,wherein the converted program information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information,wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons; and
wherein said information processing apparatus includes;
receiving means for receiving said preset information from said portable information terminal apparatus; and
recording controlling means for controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received by said receiving means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide a system that allows a user to preset a desired TV program for unattended recording by use of a PDA. A PDA acquires from a TV program information service provider TV program information by which to preset a desired TV program to be recorded unattended. When the user selects relevant TV information about the desired program, the PDA sends to a personal computer the information for presetting the TV program of interest for subsequent unattended recording. Based on the preset information sent from the PDA, the personal computer presets the specified TV program to be recorded unattended.
23 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An information processing system comprising:
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a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs, a portable information terminal apparatus owned by a user, and an information processing apparatus having recording and reproducing functions; wherein said program information providing apparatus includes; storing means for storing said program information; and providing means for retrieving said program information from said storing means before providing the retrieved program information to said portable information terminal apparatus, said providing means retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; convertor means coupled to said storing means and providing means, said convertor means converting, under control of said providing means, said program information retrieved from said storing means from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus includes; acquiring means for acquiring said program information from said program information providing apparatus; establishing means for establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on said program information acquired by said acquiring means; and transmitting means for transmitting to said information processing apparatus said preset information established by said establishing means, wherein the converted program information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons; and wherein said information processing apparatus includes; receiving means for receiving said preset information from said portable information terminal apparatus; and recording controlling means for controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received by said receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An information processing system comprising
a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs, a portable information terminal apparatus owned by a user, and an information processing apparatus having recording and reproducing functions; -
wherein said program information providing apparatus includes; storing means for storing said program information and advertisement information; and providing means for retrieving said program information and said advertisement information from said storing means before providing the retrieved information to said portable information terminal apparatus, said providing means retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; convertor means coupled to said storing means and providing means, said convertor means converting, under control of said providing means, said program information retrieved from said storing means from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus includes; acquiring means for acquiring said program information and said advertisement information sent from said program information providing apparatus; establishing means for establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on said program information acquired by said acquiring means; and transmitting means for transmitting to said information processing apparatus said preset information established by said establishing means, wherein the converted program information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons; and wherein said information processing apparatus includes; receiving means for receiving said preset information from said portable information terminal apparatus; and recording controlling means for controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received by said receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An information processing system comprising:
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a portable information terminal apparatus owned by a user; and an information processing apparatus which has recording, convertor means, and reproducing functions, which stores program information about programs and which is owned by said user, said information processing apparatus retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; said convertor means operatively coupled to a storing means, said convertor means converting said program information retrieved from said storing means from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval. wherein said portable information terminal apparatus includes; acquiring means for acquiring said program information from said information processing apparatus; establishing means for establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on said program information acquired by said acquiring means; and transmitting means for transmitting to said information processing apparatus said preset information established by said establishing means, wherein the converted program information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons; and wherein said information processing apparatus includes; receiving means for receiving said preset information sent from said portable information terminal apparatus; and recording controlling means for controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received by said receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, said portable information terminal apparatus comprising:
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acquiring means for acquiring, from a storing means, program information about programs, wherein said program information is acquired based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, said acquired program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, wherein the program information is converted into a predetermined format prior to acquiring, that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons, and wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; displaying means for displaying said program information acquired by said acquiring means; establishing means for establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on an operational input made by a user referring to said program information displayed by said displaying means; transmitting means for transmitting to said recording/reproducing apparatus said preset information established by said establishing means, and registering means for registering detailed information for designating said program information to be acquired by said acquiring means, wherein said displaying means further displays said detailed information registered by said registering means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An information processing method for use with a portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, said information processing method comprising the steps of:
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acquiring, from a storing means, program information about programs, wherein said program information is acquired based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, said acquired program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, and wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; controlling display of said program information acquired in said acquiring step; establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on an operational input made by a user referring to said program information displayed under control of said controlling step; and transmitting to said recording/reproducing apparatus said preset information established in said establishing step, wherein the program information is converted into a predetermined format prior to acquiring that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons.
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27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium recorded therein an executable program, when executed, controlling a portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, the executable program comprising the steps of:
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acquiring, from a storing means, program information about programs, wherein said program information is acquired based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, said acquired program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, and wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; controlling display of said program information acquired in said acquiring step; establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on an operational input made by a user referring to said program information displayed under control of said controlling step; and transmitting to said recording/reproducing apparatus said preset information established in said establishing step, wherein the program information is converted into a predetermined format prior to acquiring that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons.
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28. A program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs to an information processing apparatus over a network, said program information providing apparatus comprising:
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storing means for storing said program information and advertisement information; converting means coupled to said storing means for, based on a request from said information processing apparatus, retrieving said program information and said advertisement information from said storing means and then converting the retrieved information into data of a predetermined format compatible with said information processing apparatus, said convertor means converting said retrieved program information from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval; and providing means coupled to said converting means for providing said data converted by said converting means to said information processing apparatus over said network, said providing means retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein said converting means is operable to convert said retrieved program information under the control of said providing means, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels, wherein the retrieved information is converted into a predetermined format prior to providing that allows a display program of a portable information terminal apparatus to display on the retrieved information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the provided converted retrieved data that is available for reproduction, and out outs the generated icons. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A program information providing method for use with a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs to an information processing apparatus over a network, said program information providing method comprising the steps of:
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controlling storage of said program information and advertisement information; retrieving, based on a request from said information processing apparatus, said program information and said advertisement information from storage under control of said storage controlling step; converting the retrieved information into data of a predetermined format compatible with said information processing apparatus, said retrieved program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval; and providing said data converted in said converting step to said information processing apparatus over said network, said providing step retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels, wherein the retrieved information is converted into a predetermined format prior to providing that allows a display program of a portable information terminal apparatus to display on the retrieved information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the provided converted retrieved data that is available for re production, and outputs the generated icons.
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36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, recorded therein an executable program, when executed, controlling a program information providing apparatus which provides program information about programs to an information processing apparatus over a network, the executable program comprising the steps of:
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controlling storage of said program information and advertisement information; retrieving, based on a request from said information processing apparatus, said program information and said advertisement information from storage under control of said storage controlling step; converting the retrieved information into data of a predetermined format compatible with said information processing apparatus, said retrieved program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval; and providing said data converted in said converting step to said information processing apparatus over said network, said providing means retrieving said program information based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels, wherein the retrieved information is converted into a predetermined format prior to providing that allows a display program of a portable information terminal apparatus to display on the retrieved information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the provided converted retrieved data that is available for reproduction and outputs the generated icons.
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37. A recording/reproducing apparatus connected to a portable information terminal apparatus, said recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:
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receiving means for receiving from said portable information terminal apparatus preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended, said preset information determined from program information received by said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein receiving said program information is based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; convertor means coupled to a storing means and converting said program information from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval; and recording controlling means for controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received by said receiving means, wherein the preset information is converted to a predetermined format compatible with the recording/reproducing apparatus, wherein the converted program information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A recording/reproducing method for use with a recording/reproducing apparatus connected to a portable information terminal apparatus, said recording/reproducing method comprising the steps of:
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receiving from said portable information terminal apparatus preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended, said preset information determined from program information received by said portable information terminal apparatus, said received program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, wherein receiving said program information is based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; and controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received in said receiving step, wherein the preset information is converted to a predetermined format compatible with the recording/reproducing apparatus, wherein the converted to am information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons.
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41. A non-transitory computer-readable medium recorded therein an executable program, when executed, controlling a recording/reproducing apparatus connected to a portable information terminal apparatus, the executable program comprising the steps of:
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receiving from said portable information terminal apparatus preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended, said preset information determined from program information received by said portable information terminal apparatus, said received program information converted from a page description language format structured hierarchically using tags to another database format that excludes said tags, wherein said another database format comprises a less amount of data than said page description language and requires no data analysis following retrieval, wherein receiving said program information is based on identifying a user ID associated with an information request transmitted from said portable information terminal apparatus, wherein upon identifying said user ID said retrieved program information includes registered content applicable to said user ID, and wherein said user ID is unidentifiable, said retrieved program information includes commonly watched channels; and controlling the unattended recording of said desired program based on said preset information received in said receiving step, wherein the preset information is converted to a predetermined format compatible with the recording/reproducing apparatus, wherein the converted program information is converted into a predetermined format that allows a display program of said portable information terminal apparatus to display on the program information, wherein said portable information terminal apparatus generates an icon representing the received converted content data that is available for reproduction, and outputs the generated icons.
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Specification