Abstract: In the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for recommending contents. The information processing apparatus may include recommended content extracting means for, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, during a period within a predetermined time from a point in time at which the predetermined condition is satisfied, with one or more contents that are being distributed or whose distribution is to be started from one or more distribution sources, respectively, as processing objects, extracting a recommended content to be recommended to a user from the processing objects on a basis of content information on each of the processing objects and preference information.

Abstract: A schedule-table presenting apparatus including: a schedule acquisition section configured to acquire a schedule including the broadcasting start time and a descriptive text describing each of the events; a schedule-table generation section configured to assign a specific one of the events to a first program frame and assign a plurality of events other than the specific event to a second program frame in order to generate a schedule table including the first program frame allocated to the specific event as a frame showing the broadcasting start time of the specific event as well as the descriptive text describing the specific event and the second program frame allocated to the other events as a frame showing the broadcasting start time of each of the other events; and a display control section configured to display the schedule table generated by the schedule-table generation section on a display section determined in advance.

Abstract: There is provided a system for recording and/or reproduction of broadcasting programs permits the facilitation of selection and management of recorded videos in the manner of following the operations of general AV equipment such as televisions and video decks, in which virtual channels are assigned according to categories defined by a user, and programs corresponding to the categories are recorded into the virtual channels, and since the recorded programs are set in array on a time base for simultaneous reproduction on each virtual channel, the user may happen to watch various recorded programs only by switching over the channels from one to another or continuing to reproduce recorded programs in a single channel after application of power at any time, which results in quite passive style only sufficient for the user to watch the recorded programs.

Abstract: A broadcast program reservation apparatus is disclosed. The broadcast program reservation apparatus may include a reception unit, a reservation unit, and a determination unit. The reception unit may receive a broadcast program and electronic program information. The reservation unit may execute a reserve-recording process of recording the program based on the electronic program information which has been received. The determination unit may determine whether or not a reservation candidate program as a candidate of the program is caused to be reserve-recorded by the reservation unit corresponding to a plurality of broadcast patterns of the program in a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A server searches a content information database for a piece of content viewed for example based on a viewing log obtained from a user by executing aggregation of data, extracts content tables associated with the content viewed for example, and counts appearance frequencies of the content tables by genre, performer, or keyword. Those genres and performers for example which are ranked high in appearance frequency are indicative of user preferences, so that those genres and performers are provided to a user as viewing support information or added-value information. The operation provides viewing selection information in which user preference is made apparent based on a user viewing log, and other added information.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit adapted to acquire preference information representing a user's preference based on an operation given by the user regarding content; a selecting unit adapted to select content and to designate the selected content as an object for copying; and a copying unit adapted to copy the selected content to another information processing apparatus. Further, if the object for copying is copied by the copying unit, the acquiring unit updates the preference information associated with the content of the copied object for copying.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is disclosed which records at least either a video or an audio signal of a broadcast program in accordance with reservation information.

Abstract: Information about each of broadcast programs is subdivided into multiple items including program attributes and the other program association schemes for management. To each item, the relevance ratio with respect to a program is assigned. For example, the next broadcast schedule has the highest relevance ratio with respect to the program, the relevance ratio with respect to the program is high in order of cast, titles, and genre, and so on. Then, database search is done for programs related to the base program for each item, the search result is arranged in order of a decreasing relevance ratio with respect to the base program, and a base program related information page is created. Without deadening user's interest inspired by watching a program, information related to the program being watched is given, and a user can be guided smoothly to the next preselected recording operation.

Abstract: Each bulletin board is set for the purpose of an argument and information exchange concerning a specific television program. In writing a remark in the bulletin board, a user registers information for specifying a program/scene referred to by the remark together with remark contents. The reference information consists of a broadcasting station at the time when a program is broadcasted and time when a reference part is broadcasted. The reference information is shaped into a predetermined format and transmitted to a terminal apparatus of the user. In the terminal apparatus, it becomes possible to start reproduction of a pertinent program/scene from recorded contents on the based on the received reference information. The terminal apparatus can support creation of information such as a comment concerning each scene in program contents and transmission and reception work of this type of information.

Abstract: A recording control apparatus for controlling the recording of content of broadcast programs includes the following elements. An acquisition unit acquires electronic program guide data concerning the broadcast programs. A detector detects the title of a broadcast program from reserve-recording data indicating a recording reservation of the broadcast program. A calculator calculates the similarity between the title of the broadcast program detected by the detector and the title of the broadcast program indicated in the electronic program guide data acquired by the acquisition unit. A changing unit changes the reserve-recording data by using the electronic program guide data on the basis of the similarity calculated by the calculator.

Abstract: This invention relates to an information providing system which is designed to be able to realize secondary utilization of broadcasting contents, along with copyright of the broadcasting contents being protected. A broadcasting receiving and picture recording device 5-1 records broadcasting contents that a broadcasting device 4 broadcasted, and a terminal 6-1 edits the broadcasting contents which were recorded, and generates corresponding metadata. The metadata is transmitted from the terminal 6-1 to a metadata delivery server 2 through Internet 1, and registered. The metadata delivery server 2, on the basis of utilization availability information of broadcasting contents which is held in advance, in case that the broadcasting content that the metadata targets can be utilized, registers the metadata. The registered metadata is delivered through the Internet 1 on the basis of a request of a terminal 6-2. This invention is applied to an information providing system which delivers the metadata.

Abstract: Middleware operating under control of a media data audiovisual apparatus having functions of storing media data for replaying includes a media data management section for providing the media data management functions including replaying, readout, recording, deletion and synthesis of media data and also recording of an access history to the media data, a meta-data management section providing the meta-data management functions including readout, recording and dynamic creation of meta-data and also transaction processing attendant upon an access to the meta-data, and a query section having the functions of providing more highly abstractive access interface for an application program through vicarious execution of the processing for an access to the media data management section and the meta-data management section, wherein the middleware is configured to provide the functions as a database of the media data for the application program as a whole.

Abstract: There is provided a system for recording and/or reproduction of broadcasting programs permits the facilitation of selection and management of recorded videos in the manner of following the operations of general AV equipment such as televisions and video decks, in which virtual channels are assigned according to categories defined by a user, and programs corresponding to the categories are recorded into the virtual channels, and since the recorded programs are set in array on a time base for simultaneous reproduction on each virtual channel, the user may happen to watch various recorded programs only by switching over the channels from one to another or continuing to reproduce recorded programs in a single channel after application of power at any time, which results in quite passive style only sufficient for the user to watch the recorded programs.

Abstract: Middleware operating under control of a media data audiovisual apparatus having functions of storing media data for replaying comprises a media data management means for providing the media data management functions including replaying, readout, recording, deletion and synthesis of media data and also recording of an access history to the media data, meta-data management means providing the meta-data management functions including readout, recording and dynamic creation of meta-data and also transaction processing attendant upon an access to the meta-data, and query means having the functions of providing more highly abstractive access interface for an application program through vicarious execution of the processing for an access to the media data management means and the meta-data management means, wherein the middleware is configured to provide the functions as a database of the media data for the application program as a whole.