Portable information terminal apparatus, information processing method, computer-program storage medium, and computer-program

• US 20070196078A1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroyuki Shimizu, Koji Kunii, Masaki Takase
• Original Assignee: Hiroyuki Shimizu, Koji Kunii, Masaki Takase
• Inventors: Kunii, Koji, Shimizu, Hiroyuki, Takase, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/09 Arrangements for device control with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for control of broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/85 which are mobile communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• 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 21/47214 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, including a first generating element for generating a first signal for causing the recording/reproducing apparatus to acquire program information about a program, the generation of the first signal being based on an operation performed by a user, a first transmitting element for transmitting to the recording/reproducing apparatus the first signal generated by the first generating element, second generating element for generating a second signal for causing the recording/reproducing apparatus to display the acquired program information, the generation of the second signal being based on an operation performed by the user, second transmitting element for transmitting to the recording/reproducing apparatus the second signal generated by the second generating element, third generating element for generating a third signal for causing the recording/reproducing apparatus to preset the program for unattended recording, the generation of the third signal being based on an operation performed by the user, and third transmitting element for transmitting to the recording/reproducing apparatus the third signal generated by the third generating element.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising:

first transmitting means for transmitting a first signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the portable information terminal apparatus to acquire from a program information service provider program information about a program;

display means for displaying the acquired program information on the portable information terminal apparatus; and

second transmitting means for transmitting a second signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the recording/reproducing apparatus to preset the program for unattended recording,

wherein the program information acquired is selected by the program information service provider based upon a registration by the user beforehand of desired program channels.

21. The portable information terminal apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the first transmitting means and the second transmitting means transmit infrared rays modulated to represent the first signal and the second signal, respectively.

22. The portable information terminal apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the first transmitting means and the second transmitting means transmit radio waves modulated to represent the first signal and the second signal, respectively.

23. The portable information terminal apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

third transmitting means for transmitting a third signal to cause the recording/reproducing apparatus to reproduce and convert the recorded program to video data in a predetermined file format before outputting the converted video data.

24. The portable information terminal apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the third transmitting means transmits infrared rays modulated to represent the third signal.

25. A portable information terminal apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the third transmitting means transmits radio waves modulated to represent the third signal.

26. An information processing method for use with a portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the portable information terminal apparatus to acquire from a program information service provider program information about a program;

displaying the acquired program information on the portable information terminal apparatus; and

transmitting a second signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the recording/reproducing apparatus to preset said program for unattended recording,

wherein the program information acquired is selected by the program information service provider based upon a registration by the user beforehand of desired program channels.

27. The information processing method of claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting a third signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the recording/reproducing apparatus to reproduce and convert the recorded program to video data in a predetermined file format before outputting the converted video data; and

receiving the converted video data.

28. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for controlling a portable information terminal apparatus connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the portable information terminal apparatus to acquire from a program information service provider program information about a program;

displaying the acquired program information on the portable information terminal apparatus; and

transmitting a second signal, in response to an operation by a user, to cause the recording/reproducing apparatus to preset said program for unattended recording, the generation of the second signal being based on an operation performed by said user,

wherein the program information acquired is selected by the program information service provider based upon a registration by the user beforehand of desired program channels.