Abstract: In a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, digital broadcast signals provided by a digital broadcast method are supplied to various types of external units and are effectively utilized. In the above apparatus, a descrambler descrambles a transport stream output from a front end unit and supplies it to a digital interface and a demultiplexer. The demultiplexer extracts from the transport stream a compressed video signal and a compressed audio signal of a program specified by a user, and supplies the extracted signals to an MPEG decoder. The MPEG decoder decompresses the supplied video signal and the audio signal and supplies them to the digital interface, an NTSC encoder, and an audio signal D/A converter. The digital interface supplies either of the transport stream or the decompressed data to a digital external unit under the control of the controller.

Abstract: An interlace-type PDP is driven by an improved driving method so as to achieve a greater operating margin, higher resolution, and higher brightness. The interlace-type PDP is driven using odd and even frames in such a manner that the cells are grouped into cell groups such that each cell group includes two or three cells which are adjacent in a direction crossing the electrode pairs, and the cells are driven in units of cell groups. The grouping of cells is performed differently for even and odd frames such that, in one type of frame, locations of two or three cells grouped into each group are shifted by one cell, in the direction crossing the electrode pairs, from the locations of cells grouped together in the other type of frame.

Abstract: A gate electrode of a thin film transistor is composed by a three layer structure obtained by laminating a titanium nitride layer as an upper layer on an aluminum layer as a base layer and by laminating an unalloyed titanium layer as a lower layer under the base layer. An ion implantation is used as an ion doping into a source region and drain region as an active layer of the thin film transistor. The source region and the drain region are annealed at a low temperature of 350° C. to 450° C. to be activated. A chemical reaction between the base layer and the upper layer and between the base layer and the lower layer can be suppressed. The rise of the resistance value in the gate electrode can be suppressed. The resistance of the gate electrode can be reduced. The fluctuation of the threshold voltage of the thin film transistor can be suppressed.

Abstract: In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for generating a received program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent confusion.

Abstract: A receiving system and a receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: A broadcast receiving system and a broadcast receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: When data is transmitted by using a broadcasting channel of an IEEE1394 interface, it is enabled to cope with a case where undefined equipment is connected to an IEEE1394 bus. The IEEE1394 interface is provided for an IRD, thereby enabling the IRD and equipment such as digital VCR, MD player/recorder, or the like to be connected. A node No. “63” of IEEE1394 is set to the broadcasting channel. Data is transmitted to all equipment connected to the IEEE1394 bus by the broadcasting channel. In the broadcasting channel, a picture plane for selecting a transport stream of MPEG and PCM audio data is displayed, and the data which is transmitted by the broadcasting channel can be selected in accordance with the transport stream of MPEG and the PCM audio data. Thus, when undefined equipment is connected to the IEEE1394 bus, it is possible to cope with any equipment.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for digitally recording broadcast content. In one embodiment, the broadcast content is received and a first digital copy of the broadcast content is stored (e.g., on a magnetic storage device). The first digital copy of the broadcast content is formatted to be displayed by a display device (e.g., encoded MPEG format). A second digital copy of the broadcast content is also made and stored on the magnetic storage device. The second digital copy of the broadcast content is formatted to be stored upon an optical media storage device. The second digital copy can be high-speed dubbed from the magnetic storage device to the optical media storage device.

Abstract: In a broadcast-program selection history information acquisition apparatus and its method, the totalization side can easily totalize selection history information. To acquire the selection history information of a broadcast program selected out of broadcast programs of a plurality of channels, the selection information of the broadcast program is stored at a predetermined acquisition timing and the selection history information which is composed of a plurality of pieces of selection information stored every plurality of acquisition timings is transmitted to a notification destination at a predetermined transmission timing.

Abstract: The invention provides a multimedia terminal equipment which can reproduce and output an object broadcasting program irrespective of a providing medium and so forth of the program. The multimedia terminal equipment includes a digital signal processing circuit in the form of a digital signal processor which is programmable to process various kinds of digital broadcasting signals of different formats. A program to be used for processing of an object digital signal is read out from a ROM by a host CPU in response to a selection input from a user and supplied to the digital signal processing circuit. In accordance with the program, the digital signal processing circuit processes a digital signal outputted from a traffic controller in response to the selection input of the user.

Abstract: In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for generating a received program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent confusion.

Abstract: A direct color thermal printer includes a heating element array for yellow, a heating element array for magenta, and a heating element array for cyan to perform the thermal printing on each of recording areas in color thermosensitive recording paper. When one of the heating element arrays, the heating element array for yellow, for instance, faces a blank area of the color thermosensitive recording paper, the heating element array for yellow starts a blank area recording to thermally print the blank area. Thereby, all of the heating element arrays constantly remain in a state of thermal printing, so that variations in recording density, which is caused by the load fluctuations in the power supply, does not occur.

Abstract: A method for driving an AC type plasma display panel includes the steps of performing initialization at least once for each frame so as to clear binary setting of wall charge quantity in a screen by discharge except for micro discharge in which electrodes covered with a plurality of fluorescent materials become cathodes, and performing special initialization at frequency of once for M frames, where M=two or more, so as to erase unnecessary wall charge in the screen by discharge in which electrodes become cathodes and that is stronger than the discharge in the initialization.

Abstract: A transport stream (TS) is recorded and the recorded TS is reproduced simultaneously. An input PID parser extracts the first packet only to be recorded, the second packet to be recorded and to be used for controlling, and the third packet to be used only for controlling from among the TS packet that constitutes the TS supplied from a descrambler. The first and second packets are supplied to a receiver and supplied to a hard disk drive (HDD) for recording. The second and third packets are supplied to an MUX. On the other hand, the TS packet stored in the HDD is read out and supplied to the MUX by way of an output PID parser. The MUX multiplexes the second or third packet supplied from the input PID parser and the TS packet read out from the HDD, and supplies the multiplexed packet to a CPU that controls a descrambler or the like.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma display apparatus capable of being manufactured with higher light emission efficiency and higher yield. A bus electrode (18) is formed astride a region where a sustain electrode (37) is formed and a region on a front glass substrate (11) except for the region where the sustain electrode (37) is formed with an edge of the sustain electrode (37) on a side opposite to a side where the sustain electrode (37) is paired with another sustain electrode (37) in between. The bus electrode (18) has a shape expanding the whole width without widely coating the sustain electrode (37), so a cross-sectional area of the bus electrode (18) can be larger more than previously possible. An end portion of the sustain electrode (37) in a longitudinal direction has a forward tapered shape in which a side surface of the sustain electrode (37) forms an acute angle with the front glass substrate (11), so a step can be eliminated.

Abstract: A transport stream (TS) is recorded and the recorded TS is reproduced simultaneously. An input PID parser extracts the first packet only to be recorded, the second packet to be recorded and to be used for controlling, and the third packet to be used only for controlling from among the TS packet that constitutes the TS supplied from a descrambler. The first and second packets are supplied to a receiver and supplied to a hard disk drive (HDD) for recording. The second and third packets are supplied to an MUX. On the other hand, the TS packet stored in the HDD is read out and supplied to the MUX by way of an output PID parser. The MUX multiplexes the second or third packet supplied from the input PID parser and the TS packet read out from the HDD, and supplies the multiplexed packet to a CPU that controls a descrambler or the like.

Abstract: A transport stream is received and recorded, and the recorded transport stream is reproduced normally. A cycle timer generates a time stamp based on a clock generated by means of a clock generation circuit that is independent of the system clock generated by means of a built-in PLL of an AV decoder, a receiver adds the time stamp to a TS packet, and the TS packet is recorded in a hard disk. On the other hand, a transmitter supplies the TS packet read out from the hard disk to the AV decoder by way of a switch, MVLink-IC, DEMUX, and FIFO memory at the timing so that the time interval between adjacent TS packets is coincident with that of the time when it was received based on the time stamp added to the TS packet.

Abstract: An interlace-type PDP is driven by an improved driving method so as to achieve a greater operating margin, higher resolution, and higher brightness. The interlace-type PDP includes a plurality of electrodes formed on a substrate so as to extend in one direction. Between respective adjacent electrodes, discharge gaps for generating discharges or non-discharge gaps in which no discharge occurs are formed. The discharge gaps and the non-discharge gaps are alternately disposed. Electrodes of each electrode pair, between which one of the non-discharge gaps is formed, are electrically connected to each other. Each discharge gap is partitioned into a plurality of discharge cells. The PDP constructed in the above-described manner is driven using odd and even frames in such a manner that the cells are grouped into cell groups such that each cell group includes two or three cells which are adjacent in a direction crossing the electrode pairs, and the cells are driven in units of cell groups.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a plasma display panel and a manufacturing method for a plasma display which can improve the purity of a discharge gas in a discharge space after combining panels and sealing the discharge gas into the discharge space, so that the lifetime can be extended and the discharge voltage can be reduced to improve the stability of the discharge voltage. After forming ribs (24) for partitioning discharge spaces (4) and phosphor layers (25R), (25G), and (25B) for emitting light according to ultraviolet rays produced in the discharge spaces (4) on a second substrate (21), the second substrate (21) formed with the ribs (24) and the phosphor layers is burned in a vacuum of 10 Pa or less in a temperature range of 350 to 550° C. Thereafter, the second substrate (21) is combined with a first panel (11) to complete a plasma display (2).

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast signal includes a tuner operable to select a desired transmission channel over which to receive the digital broadcast signal and demodulate a transport stream which is transmitted over the selected transmission channel. The receiving apparatus also includes a demultiplexer operable to extract a desired program from the demodulated transport stream; an interface operable to transmit the demodulated transport stream to, and receive a reproduced transport stream from, a reproducing apparatus; and a discriminator operable to determine whether the reproduced transport stream contains a multiplexed plurality of programs. A predetermined process is performed on the reproduced transport stream when the discriminator determines that the reproduced transport stream contains the multiplexed plurality of programs.