Abstract: A vehicle electronic key includes: a receiver for receiving a request signal transmitted from an in-vehicle device; a transmitter for transmitting a response signal responding to the request signal; a key controller that determines whether the request signal has been received and controls the transmitter to transmit the response signal based on a determination that the request signal has been received; and an acceleration sensor that detects an acceleration applied to the vehicle electronic key and sets a vibration detection flag based on a determination that a vibration equal to or greater than a threshold value has been detected according to a detected acceleration.

Abstract: A vehicle electronic key includes: a receiver for receiving a request signal transmitted from an in-vehicle device; a transmitter for transmitting a response signal responding to the request signal; a key controller that determines whether the request signal has been received and controls the transmitter to transmit the response signal based on a determination that the request signal has been received; and an acceleration sensor that detects an acceleration applied to the vehicle electronic key and sets a vibration detection flag based on a determination that a vibration equal to or greater than a threshold value has been detected according to a detected acceleration.

Abstract: A playing state presentation system has a contents server for supplying consecutive contents data, and a contents playing device for obtaining and playing the contents data. The contents playing device includes: a reception unit for receiving the contents data from the contents server by wireless communication; a supplying unit for supplying the contents data to a playing unit which successively plays the contents data received by the reception unit, with the contents data being supplied at a supply speed unique to the contents data; a playing state prediction unit for predicting whether or not the contents data can be continuously played at the playing unit, as a playing state; and a presentation unit for presenting the predicted playing state.

Abstract: A playback apparatus can communicate with a second server, which temporarily stores in a first buffer compressed digital data that is received from a first server, and when the first buffer has stored a first data volume of the compressed digital data, which is a volume that is sufficient for a decoding of the compressed digital data, reads the compressed digital data out of the first buffer and decodes it into decompressed digital data. The playback apparatus includes a second buffer, which temporarily stores the decompressed digital data that is received from the second server; a D/A conversion portion (340), which converts into analog data the decompressed digital data that is temporarily stored in the second buffer; and a notification information generation portion (370), which generates notification information that conveys storage statuses of the first buffer and the second buffer.

Abstract: In a playback apparatus, when a transmission finished notification for kth decompressed digital data is received via a communication portion, a control portion detects a silence start position in the kth decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, transfers a section of the kth decompressed digital data that is before the silence start position to the second buffer, temporarily stores (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is received via the communication portion in the first buffer following the transfer of the section of the kth decompressed digital data, detects a silence end position in the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, and transfers a section of the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is after the silence end position to the second buffer.

Abstract: A search keyword input device includes multiple keyword type selection keys for showing multiple keyword types for the purpose of distinguishing and narrowing down multiple search keywords so as to be selectable, and used for selection of the multiple keyword types, a display unit which corresponds to the multiple keyword type selection keys, and which displays multiple selecting notification display elements for the purpose of notifying that the multiple keyword types are selected, and a control unit for controlling the selecting notification display elements corresponding to the keyword type selection keys to be displayed on the display unit as instructed when the keyword type selection key for selection of the keyword type is instructed.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus, having functions on which use limitations can be imposed, in which a variety of functions are loaded on the electronic apparatus by hardware circuitry or by computer programs. Use of a certain function(s) is limited by setting a function limiting flag to “1”, provided that an other function(s) are usable within a period of a preset number of days of possible test use. An application is made from the apparatus to a key issuing source for purchasing usable functions. The key issuing source then issues a limitation removing key. The limitation removing key may be acquired from the key issuing source by a mobile phone terminal and transmitted to the apparatus by infrared ray communication. The apparatus rewrites the function limiting flag by this limitation removing key. If the number of days of actual test use has reached the number of days of possible test use, the CPU of the apparatus does not carry out the function(s) the function limiting flag of which is “1”.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus, having functions on which use limitations can be imposed, in which a variety of functions are loaded on the electronic apparatus by hardware circuitry or by computer programs. Use of a certain function(s) is limited by setting a function limiting flag to “1”, provided that an other function(s) are usable within a period of a preset number of days of possible test use. An application is made from the apparatus to a key issuing source for purchasing usable functions. The key issuing source then issues a limitation removing key. The limitation removing key may be acquired from the key issuing source by a mobile phone terminal and transmitted to the apparatus by infrared ray communication. The apparatus rewrites the function limiting flag by this limitation removing key. If the number of days of actual test use has reached the number of days of possible test use, the CPU of the apparatus does not carry out the function(s) the function limiting flag of which is “1”.

Abstract: There is provided a content playback system in which a first playback device and a second playback device that can receive and play back content from a server device are connected through a network. When the first playback device, while receiving and playing back the content from the server device, receives a switching command for causing the content that is currently being played back to be played back on the second playback device, the first playback device transmits through the network to the second playback device playback information that includes attribute information and an elapsed playback time for the content that is currently being played back. When the second playback device receives the playback information from the first playback device, the second playback device, based on the playback information, receives from the server device and plays back data that starts from the elapsed playback time for the content.

Abstract: In a playback apparatus, when a transmission finished notification for kth decompressed digital data is received via a communication portion, a control portion detects a silence start position in the kth decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, transfers a section of the kth decompressed digital data that is before the silence start position to the second buffer, temporarily stores (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is received via the communication portion in the first buffer following the transfer of the section of the kth decompressed digital data, detects a silence end position in the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is stored in the first buffer, and transfers a section of the (k+1)th decompressed digital data that is after the silence end position to the second buffer.

Abstract: A playback apparatus can communicate with a second server, which temporarily stores in a first buffer compressed digital data that is received from a first server, and when the first buffer has stored a first data volume of the compressed digital data, which is a volume that is sufficient for a decoding of the compressed digital data, reads the compressed digital data out of the first buffer and decodes it into decompressed digital data. The playback apparatus includes a second buffer, which temporarily stores the decompressed digital data that is received from the second server; a D/A conversion portion (340), which converts into analog data the decompressed digital data that is temporarily stored in the second buffer; and a notification information generation portion (370), which generates notification information that conveys storage statuses of the first buffer and the second buffer.

Abstract: A playing state presentation system has a contents server for supplying consecutive contents data, and a contents playing device for obtaining and playing the contents data. The contents playing device includes: a reception unit for receiving the contents data from the contents server by wireless communication; a supplying unit for supplying the contents data to a playing unit which successively plays the contents data received by the reception unit, with the contents data being supplied at a supply speed unique to the contents data; a playing state prediction unit for predicting whether or not the contents data can be continuously played at the playing unit, as a playing state; and a presentation unit for presenting the predicted playing state.

Abstract: A search keyword input device includes multiple keyword type selection keys for showing multiple keyword types for the purpose of distinguishing and narrowing down multiple search keywords so as to be selectable, and used for selection of the multiple keyword types, a display unit which corresponds to the multiple keyword type selection keys, and which displays multiple selecting notification display elements for the purpose of notifying that the multiple keyword types are selected, and a control unit for controlling the selecting notification display elements corresponding to the keyword type selection keys to be displayed on the display unit as instructed when the keyword type selection key for selection of the keyword type is instructed.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus, having functions on which use limitations can be imposed, in which a variety of functions are loaded on the electronic apparatus by hardware circuitry or by computer programs. Use of a certain function(s) is limited by setting a function limiting flag to “1”, provided that an other function(s) are usable within a period of a preset number of days of possible test use. An application is made from the apparatus to a key issuing source for purchasing usable functions. The key issuing source then issues a limitation removing key. The limitation removing key may be acquired from the key issuing source by a mobile phone terminal and transmitted to the apparatus by infrared ray communication. The apparatus rewrites the function limiting flag by this limitation removing key. If the number of days of actual test use has reached the number of days of possible test use, the CPU of the apparatus does not carry out the function(s) the function limiting flag of which is “1”.

Abstract: In an image display system, image display apparatus and image display method capable of displaying an image based on content information having a plurality of links on the image display apparatus, a control means for controlling the display state of the image based on the content information being displayed on the image display apparatus and a mode switching means for switching the operation mode of the control means between a first mode and a second mode according to external operation are provided. In a situation where part of the image based on the content information is displayed on the display screen of the image display apparatus, the control means is able to scroll the image on the display screen in the first mode and sequentially select a link in the image fixed on the display screen in the second mode, according to external operation.

Abstract: The present invention is capable of dubbing again even when a data transfer error occurs, because the dubbing is tried again by sending a command to reproduce to the optical disc reproducing apparatus 1 from the magneto-optical disc recording/plying system 3 after completing the reproducing retry preparation and recording retry preparation.

Abstract: When input equipment is instructed by a remote control unit on the basis of a display of a monitor, a data signal is transmitted from a microcomputer of an AV amplifier to a microcomputer of a CD changer. When the signal is received by a microcomputer of the CD changer, display data is formed in the microcomputer of the CD changer on the basis of data in a memory and is outputted. In the AV amplifier, a switch is switched to the CD changer side. A cursor is formed by the microcomputer of the AV amplifer, the cursor and display data from the CD changer are synthesized by an image synthesizing circuit and displayed on the monitor. When an instruction is generated by the remote control unit on the basis of the display on the monitor, position coordinates of the cursor on the picture plane are generated from the microcomputer of the A/V amplifier to the microcomputer of the CD changer. On the basis of the display data and the position coordinates, the CD changer is controlled by its microcomputer.

Abstract: According to the present invention, since a management region for managing record positions of impressive or feature portions (as digests) of programs recorded on a record medium is provided, an outline of the programs on the record medium can be obtained. In addition, since the priority of programs designated as digests is also managed with the management region, a portion representative of a program representative of an album can be reproduced.

Abstract: A tray supported by the apparatus body housing the disk rotating mechanism so as to be able to be moved between the position projected from the apparatus body and the housing position in the apparatus body through the opening portion provided through the apparatus body, the turntable which is rotatably fitted to the tray and has a plurality of housing portions for housing a plurality of discs along the periphery thereof, the first operating mechanism for permitting the disk rotating mechanism to chuck the disk in a ganged relation with the movement of the tray between the projected position and the housing position, and the second operating mechanism which moves the tray between the projected position and the housing position when the disk rotating mechanism is chucking the disk.

Abstract: An apparatus for replaying a disc-shaped recording medium such as a video CD on which first video data into which all of audio data or video information for one frame is compressed as well as second video data into which video information for frames located before and after the frame in question is recorded together with address data, and discrimination data for discriminating between menu data and recorded data is also recorded. The replay apparatus includes a replay section, an input section, a memory and a controller. The replay section loads the disc-shaped recording medium therein and replays the loaded disc-shaped recording medium.