Pioneer Corporation

Naoaki Horiuchi

Motooki Sugihara

Harumi Nakamura

Tetsuya Kawahara

Koji Matsuura

Hideki Nagata

Kenji Nakamura

Shinichi Gayama

Kenji Mito

Masataka Izawa

Yukio Numakami

Taro Nakajima

Michio Sakano

Shinichi Sugie

Masayo Kaji

Tomoharu Kirihara

A content explaining apparatus and method computes the degrees of similarity between a specified content and the other contents than the specified content of multiple contents based on content information stored in content information database means, computes a user realization degree for each of the other contents based on user information stored in user management database means or the content information stored in the content information database means, computes an explanation accuracy degree of each of the other contents for the specified content from the similarity degree and user realization degree of said each of the other contents, and presents content explaining information for the specified content according to the explanation accuracy degrees.

Content explaining apparatus and method

A selection item display device allows the user to select a desired selection item in the case where a surrounding situation changes, with improved operability. The device includes: storage element for storing a selection item; retrieval element for retrieving a selection item to be displayed based on a surrounding situation from the storage element; generation element for generating an image of the retrieved selection item; display element for displaying the generated image of the selection item on a display screen; designation element for designating a selection item to be maintained from the displayed selection item; and holding element for holding the designated selection item. Even if the surrounding situation changes, and the retrieval element changes the selection item to be displayed, the generation element leaves the image of the selection item to be maintained on the basis of an instruction from the holding element on the display screen.

Selection item display device, selection item display method, selection item display program, and recording medium in which selection item display program is recorded

An apparatus for recognizing contents of a video made of picture frames includes a splitting unit that splits the picture frames into a plurality of sets of video shots based on cut points indicating a change of screen; a similar-video-shot extracting unit that extracts video shots similar to each of the video shots from among the sets of video shots; a maximum-count-video-shot extracting unit that counts a number of similar video shots for each of the video shots and extracts a maximum count video shot having a maximum count of the similar video shots; and a representative-video-shot determining unit that takes the maximum count video shot as a representative video shot for the video.

Apparatus, method, and computer product for recognizing video contents, and for video recording

A storing-reproducing unitrecognizes a free space of a contents storage area by a storage-area-administrating device, sets a recording timing duration based on the recognized free space of the contents storage area, and selects a schedule information of a contents to be recorded from recording schedule list information. Hence, frequency of storing the contents in the HDDcan be reduced, thereby avoiding that the contents which has not yet watched is erased by self-erasing, so that the contents can be effectively recorded. Therefore, a user can secure flexibility in time in watching the contents.

Information processor, method thereof, program for executing the method, recording medium storing the program and information storage

A storing/reproducing device includes a storing controller that recognizes programming information read out from timer recording list information and the data size of a content corresponding to the programming information, and compares the data size with free spaces of an automatic recording areaand a manual recording areaboth forming a content recording area, the free spaces being recognized by a storing area manager. When the content is recorded based on the programming information set with input operation by a user, the storing controller records the content in the automatic recording areaif the storing controller judges that there is not enough free space in the manual recording area. Accordingly, other pieces of information will not be recorded in the manual recording area, thereby securing free space in the manual recording area. Therefore, manual recording with the input operation by the user can surely be performed.

Information-processor for controlling a storing area in accordance with an amount of requested information

This invention provides a data-recording/reproduction apparatus that creates hierarchical-structured video data for partial contents data based on telops, and that is capable of easily and accurately reproducing a summary searching for an arbitrary scene in contents data desired by the user. The data-recording/reproduction apparatusdetects change locations in extracted telop data, and when at least two or more change locations are detected from one or two or more telop data, it detects the number of changes and point of change at each detected change location. Also, the data-recording/reproduction apparatussets hierarchical levels for each change location based on the detected change locations and number of changes, and together with generating index data the indicates a plurality of scenes in the contents data based on the set hierarchical levels and detected points of change of for each change location, it reproduces contents data based on the generated index data.

Index data generation apparatus, index data generation method, index data generation program and recording medium on which the program is recorded

A CPUof a recording/reproducing deviceacquires automatic video recording request information, and generates, based on EPG data previously acquired, new automatic reservation information incorporating basic video recording information with video recording start date and time or video recording finish date and time for contents corresponding to a keyword in the automatic video recording reservation request information and priority information indicating that the priority is 'intermediate'. When the CPUdetermines that the video recording time indicated by the reservation information corresponding to a manual video recording reservation incorporated in a video recording reservation list information and that for the new automatic reservation information overlap each other, the CPUdeletes the reservation information corresponding to the manual video recording reservation from the video recording reservation list information, and incorporates the new automatic reservation information as reservation information in the video recording list information.

Processing controller, data processor, processing controlling method, program thereof and recording medium storing the program

An information terminal such as a PDA (personal digital assistant) having a plurality of display screens in particular. The information terminal is provided with a plurality of display devices stored so that they can be developed in a main unit of the information terminal. The information terminal includes a controller which controls start and display of any application displayed on each of the display devices. The controller displays a plurality of applications in a predetermined order each time the display devices are developed.

Growing community of inventors

Tsurugashima, Japan

Naoaki Horiuchi