The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 01, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 18, 2003
Shingo Utsuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Keiichi Yoshioka, Tokyo, JP;
Hidetoshi Ichioka, Tokyo, JP;
Shinichi Wakai, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Takagi, Saitama, JP;
Yoshiaki Arishima, Kanagawa, JP;
Ayako Nakayama, Kanagawa, JP;
Koji Fujita, Tokyo, JP;
Shigeharu Kondo, Kanagawa, JP;
Shingo Utsuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Keiichi Yoshioka, Tokyo, JP;
Hidetoshi Ichioka, Tokyo, JP;
Shinichi Wakai, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Takagi, Saitama, JP;
Yoshiaki Arishima, Kanagawa, JP;
Ayako Nakayama, Kanagawa, JP;
Koji Fujita, Tokyo, JP;
Shigeharu Kondo, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image retrieval assisting apparatus and method for retrieving a desired image program from a number of image programs, such as broadcast contents in a broadcast-contents-recording/reproducing apparatus or a broadcast receiving set. A classification criterion information storage portion stores classification criterion for classifying broadcast contents into a plurality of categories. A program information acquisition portion acquires program information of the broadcast contents. A program information classification portion classifies the program information into the plurality of categories according to the stored classification criterion. An HDD stores the classified program information, and a display displays categories defined by the stored classification criterion horizontally on a monitor screen in a selectable manner and displays only the program information categorized in a selected category vertically on the monitor screen in a selectable manner.