Abstract: A relationship initiation between devices in a network is described. According to one embodiment, persona information is exchanged between devices in a network. Based upon the persona information, a user of a device may initiate a relationship with another device.

Abstract: In an information processor for checking in or out a content to an external device connected thereto, a number of possible checkouts for the content by a predetermined kind of symbol, a name corresponding to the content is displayed and a number of possible checkouts for the content is displayed. Thus, a desired content can be checked out or in simply and quickly.

Abstract: There is provided an information providing apparatus including an ECG scenario storage portion to store an ECG scenario related to a program in association with reference ID, an ECG package storage portion to store reference IDs of ECG scenarios related to programs in association with discrimination ID of an ECG channel allocated to an ECG package in order to provide a collection of information related to programs having a relationship as an ECG package, an ECG package providing portion to acquire discrimination ID of a particular channel from a receiving terminal, extract an ECG package corresponding to the acquired discrimination ID and provide it to the receiving terminal, and an ECG scenario providing portion to acquire reference ID of a particular ECG scenario included in the ECG package from the receiving terminal, extract an ECG scenario corresponding to the acquired reference ID and provide it to the receiving terminal.

Abstract: A relationship initiation between devices in a network is described. According to one embodiment, persona information is exchanged between devices in a network. Based upon the persona information, a user of a device may initiate a relationship with another device.

Abstract: The information receiving apparatus includes the related information receiving portion to receive content-related information, the mode selecting portion to select a link condition between the content and the related information, the related information request transmitting portion to transmit content designation information when the link condition is switched to the link mode or the content is switched in the link mode, and the display control portion to display the content, related information and link condition. The information providing apparatus includes the related information storage portion to store the related information associating with the content, the related information request receiving portion to receive the content designation information, the related information extracting portion to extract the related information corresponding to the content, and the related information transmitting portion to transmit the related information.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus and method in which contents such as musical data, distributed via a predetermined network or such a content is divided, it is judged whether a first content has been checked out, it is judged whether a second content has been checked, and the first and second contents are combined together when it is determined that neither the first nor second content has been checked out.

Abstract: In an information transmitter (2) which is a portable personal information device, a system control circuit (26) analyzes information on vibration obtained from an acceleration sensor (22), information on temperature obtained from a temperature sensor (21), or external information such as user's personal information obtained from a communication section (24) and selects a light-emission pattern of LEDs (11 and 12), a vibration pattern of vibrators (30 and 31), and a sound generated by a sound-reproducing section (25).

Abstract: A searching apparatus and a searching method are disclosed whereby a storage medium containing a plurality of data items and management data for managing these data items is subjected to a sort based on a sort condition and a search based on a search condition. The data retrieved through the search are displayed in accordance with a given condition.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus along with a method for displaying a list of data to be transferred from one storage area to another in conjunction with a progress status report of the data transfer, thereby allowing users to know at a glance how far the transfer of desired data has progressed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a processing method and a processing apparatus for processing a plurality of files stored on a storage medium.

Abstract: A menu display apparatus includes a first display screen on which a plurality of first icons, each representing a selectable item, are sequentially disposed on a main circular arc; and a second display screen on which, of the plurality of first icons, the first icon selected by a user is moved and displayed and a plurality of second icons, each representing a selectable item belonging to the selected first icon, are displayed on the main circular arc. The first display screen and the second display screen are selectively displayed.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing device which is capable of providing a program selected on the basis of a predetermined theme among recorded programs and programs to be received to a user. A special program is generated by selecting a predetermined program on the basis of a predetermined theme such as ‘person of the today’, ‘hot drama’, or the like among recorded programs and programs to be received to a user and the contents of the selected program is displayed on a screen as information of a recommendation program. The contents of the special program are changed according to preference of the user, a displaying time of the screen, and setting by the user. The invention can be applied to an information processing device which records a program or plays the recorded program.

Abstract: An in-vehicle device, a vehicle, and a vehicle information processing method, which are used, for example, to assist in driving an automobile and can properly communicate a vehicle situation to a driver. Methods and mechanisms express user's handling of the vehicle by virtual feelings on the assumption that the vehicle has a personality, and displays the virtual feelings by facial expressions of a predetermined character.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect a plurality of participants; detect a location of each of the plurality of participants; identify a plurality of possible meeting locations based on a parameter; and select a meeting location from the plurality of possible meeting locations based on the location of each of the plurality of participants.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an event; search for an event profile corresponding to the event; detect content and description information corresponding to the content; and associate the content with the event based on the description information and the event profile.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an input; display a plurality of selections; detect a location of a first segment relative to the plurality of selections; highlight a particular selection from the plurality of selections when the first segment is within an area of the particular selection; and select the particular selection based on the first segment being located within the area of the particular selection.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect a device; search for a plurality of promotions; detect a profile corresponding to the device wherein the profile contains a parameter; and select a particular promotion from the plurality of promotions based on the parameter associated with the profile.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses select an event; search for an event profile corresponding to the event wherein the event profile includes a plurality of participants of the event; determine a plurality of recipients of a message based on the plurality of participants of the event; and display the message to the plurality of recipients based on a status of each of the plurality of recipients.

Abstract: In an information processor or personal computer (1) to which a terminal is connected and which checks out or in a content to or from the terminal, a device driver (116) detects that a portable device (6) is connected to the personal computer (1), and when the device driver (116) detects that the portable device (6) is connected to the personal computer (1), a start-up program (117) reads contents-related data from the portable device (6) and starts up a display/operation instruction program (112) to provide a display corresponding to the read data.

Abstract: In an information transmitter (2) which is a portable personal information device, a system control circuit (26) analyzes information on vibration obtained from an acceleration sensor (22), information on temperature obtained from a temperature sensor (21), or external information such as user's personal information obtained from a communication section (24) and selects a light-emission pattern of LEDs (11 and 12), a vibration pattern of vibrators (30 and 31), and a sound generated by a sound-reproducing section (25).