Abstract: An IP telephone terminal outputs a call request for communication with a prescribed terminal and, if it is determined that connection failed, records the input voice. Thereafter, the IP telephone terminal determines that the prescribed telephone terminal has reached a state connectable through IP network, outputs a call request for communication with the prescribed terminal and if connection is determined to be established, transmits the recorded voice to the prescribed terminal.

Abstract: A cut detection system includes: an extractor configured to extract macroblock type information at least for every B frame from video compressed data including the macroblock type information; a calculator configured to calculate the number of intra-coded macroblocks for every frame from the extracted macroblock type information; and a detector configured to detect the B frame or a group of picture including the B frame to be a replay cut portion, which is a head portion or last portion of a replay shot, by using a frequency characteristic of the intra-coded macroblocks included in the B frame as determination conditions.

Abstract: An internet telephone set includes a receiver receiving a first radio signal converted from an audio signal corresponding to video to be displayed at another device and a second radio signal converted from an internet telephone signal, a control unit selecting the first or second radio signal, and an audio processor converting the first or second radio signal to an audio signal based on the selection by the control unit.

Abstract: When the user takes a watching mode with respect to a television device, a broadcast audio signal generated at the television device is transmitted to a remote controller device, and output from a speaker of a headset via a jack. When the user takes a telephone mode, an incoming audio signal from a conversation party is transmitted from the television device to the remote controller device, and output from the speaker of the headset via the jack. Concurrently, the voice uttered by the user is converted into an outgoing audio signal at a microphone of the headset, and transmitted to the television device from the remote controller device to be sent to the conversation party.

Abstract: An audio device includes a connector to which a headphone or an earphone is connected, a receiver receiving a radio signal that is converted from an audio signal corresponding to video to be displayed at another device, a controller selecting music data or the received radio signal, and a second audio processor switching between conversion of music data to an audio signal or conversion of the received radio signal to an audio signal based on selection by the controller, and providing the converted audio signal to the headphone or the earphone via the connector.

Abstract: A remote controller device includes a first audio processor converting externally received sound to an external audio signal, an operation unit including a plurality of buttons, detecting whether each of the plurality of buttons is depressed or not to generate an operation signal representing the detected result, and a transmitter converting the external audio signal and the operation signal to a radio signal for transmission. A television device includes a receiver receiving the radio signal from the remote controller device for conversion to the external audio signal and the operation signal, a network interface unit transmitting a telephone signal onto a network based on the external audio signal and the operation signal, and a display unit displaying a depressed form or non-depressed form of each of the plurality of buttons based on the operation signal.

Abstract: A system allowing a viewer of a program to know a rating is provided. A viewing information distribution system includes an IP telephone management server and each television connected to the Internet. The television is controlled by a signal emitted from a remote control terminal having an IP telephone function. The IP telephone management server includes a processor carrying out operational processing and communication control and a database. The IP telephone management server and the television communicate with each other in accordance with a session initiation protocol. The television transmits a selected channel to the IP telephone management server. The IP telephone management server summarizes viewing information received from each television and distributes the information to each television. Receiving statistic data, the television displays that figure in a video image display area.

Abstract: An image display system allowing a plurality of users to enjoy viewing programs is provided. The image display system includes a plurality of television sets connected to the Internet, and an IP telephone management server. The IP telephone management server has a friend list as data including information about television sets allowing communications via IP telephones in a memory. The friend list includes identification numbers of the television sets connected to the IP telephone management server, IP addresses of the television sets and numbers of channels selected in the television sets. Information (e.g., the number of the selected channel and the user of the television set) representing images displayed on each television is transmitted as a viewing history to the IP telephone management server to prepare or update data items in the friend list.

Abstract: A communication terminal includes a base station antenna and the like, a measurement unit, a key operation unit, a memory, and a transmission control unit. The measurement unit acquires element information from a radio wave. A message is entered at the key operation unit. A plurality of types of element information from transmission sources different from each other and the message are stored in correspondence in the memory. The transmission control unit controls the base station antenna and the like such that a message is transmitted when the combination of the received element information corresponds to the combination of element information stored in the memory.

Abstract: The MBT information for each frame is extracted from the moving picture compressed data containing the MBT information, an MBT symbol string is created by obtaining the frequency at which a specific MBT is contained from the extracted MET information for each frame, appending a predetermined MET symbol to each frame in accordance with its frequency feature, and arranging the MBT symbols according to the frame order, the cut point of the moving picture is discriminated from an array feature of MBT symbols in the MBT symbol string, and further a shot is identified based on an estimation model using the MBT symbol string.

Abstract: There is provided a surveillance device capable of transmitting an operation history of an appliance and image data while suppressing an increase in data transmission cost. A surveillance camera includes a control unit controlling an operation of the surveillance camera, a light receiving unit receiving an infrared signal transmitted from a remote controller, converting the infrared signal into an electric signal and sending the electric signal to the control unit, a storage unit storing image data, an image capturing unit performing an image capturing operation and sending an image signal generated by the image capturing operation to the storage unit, a time keeping unit generating time information concerning the surveillance camera and sending the information to the control unit, and a communication unit outputting data sent from the control unit to an external device.

Abstract: There is provided a remote controller capable of swiftly confirming safety of a resident without making the resident aware of being monitored by a third party, and making it difficult for an unspecified third party to know privacy of the resident. The remote controller includes an operation unit receiving an input of an instruction to an apparatus, a first and a second communications unit transmitting a signal, a storage unit storing history information including the time when the signal was transmitted and the instruction indicated by the signal, and a control unit. The control unit generates the signal indicating the instruction, detects the time, and determines whether to transmit at least a portion of the history information. When the transmission is determined, the control unit reads the portion of the history information from the storage unit, and controls the second communications unit to transmit the read information.

Abstract: A remote control device capable of controlling devices in an expanded range is provided. Processing executed by a remote control includes the steps of transmitting a control signal to an HDD recorder, transmitting a communications request to a remote control connected over the Internet based on a reply received from the HDD recorder, and executing an IP telephone session to/from the remote control. The IP telephone session includes the steps of transmitting control information for controlling an operation of the HDD recorder based on a reply provided from the remote control, receiving a reply of a result of determination about control information from the remote control, and transmitting a request for the control to the remote control based on the reply.

Abstract: A television capable of reporting a history of operation by an operator of an appliance is provided. The television is connected to an antenna. The television has main components including an external input unit, a light receiving unit, a user's operation unit, a CPU controlling operation of the television, a tuner, a switch circuit, and a communication IF capable of communicating information via the Internet. The CPU generates information about a user's operation history based on a control signal for an appliance that is received by the light receiving unit, and transmits the information to another information communication apparatus via the communication IF.

Abstract: A TV broadcast viewing and recording system, which can enhance viewing efficiency for each user to view TV programs even though several users use the system. The TV broadcast viewing and recording system (1) comprises a TV receiver (2), a recorder (3), and a camera (4) which takes an image in a predetermined imaging area in front of the TV receiver (2) or the recorder (3). When the user surfs the channels (S51), the TV receiver (2) transmits a request signal to the recorder (3) (S52). The recorder (3) performs facial recognition of an image data taken by the camera (4), identifies the user by calculating a feature quantity of the user who changes the channels (S53), and extracts data files of TV programs which has not been reproduced yet (S54). Subsequently, the recorder (3) transmits a message signal including information of un-reproduced data files of TV programs to the TV receiver (2) (S55).

Abstract: A television set allowing a small amount of information to be processed to authenticate at least a portion of a face with high precision, is configured as follows: The television set includes a memory, a camera and a CPU. The memory stores feature information in association with a position. The CPU detects the position of the facial portion of a person in an image. The CPU extracts feature information based on the image. The CPU collates the feature information extracted thereby with that of the feature information stored in the memory which corresponds to the position detected thereby. The CPU selects a channel corresponding to a result of the collation. The television set further includes a tuner and a display. The tuner extracts a broadcast signal of the channel selected by the CPU. The display displays a video image corresponding to the signal extracted by the tuner.

Abstract: A hard disc recorder (1) comprises an imaging unit (8) that takes an image of a predetermined imaging area in front of the hard disc recorder (1), a user identification unit (3a) that calculates a feature quantity of a user who operates the hard disc recorder based on image data by performing facial recognition, and identifies the user who operates the hard disc recorder, a user attribution adding unit (3b) that adds the feature quantity calculated by the user identification unit (3a) to a data file of TV program to be recorded in the hard disc recorder when a user instructs to record a TV program. Thereby, information relating to the user who operates the hard disc recorder (1) is automatically added to the data file of TV program as an attribution of the user who records the TV program.

Abstract: In a hard disc recorder (1) which transits to sleep mode so as to reduce electric power consumption when it is not used by a user in a predetermined term, an imaging unit (9) takes images in an imaging area in front of the hard disc recorder (1) at a predetermined time interval. A person detection unit (32) detects and identifies a person who stays in the imaging area by performing facial recognition process. A transition setting unit (34) sets an individual transition time for the identified user on the basis of a time when the user is detected and a database of execution history of recording or reproducing operation instructed by the user, and set a basic transition time on the basis of a database of execution history of recording or reproducing operation instructed by all users.

Abstract: An electronic still camera includes an imaging unit for performing a photon-to-electron conversion on an incident optical image so as to generate picture data, a weather information determination unit for determining weather information when taking a picture, and a control unit for storing the picture data generated by the imaging unit in a storage unit, for storing the weather information determined by the weather information determination unit in the storage unit, and for reading the picture data and the weather information stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: Intercommunication of data between adjacent element processors (3) is performed through a memory unit (6) which is independently accessible to the respective element processors (3) without interfere with the operations of the other element processors (3). Thus, memory access and data transfer can be achieved without interfere with the operations of individual element processor (3). Furthermore, it becomes possible to solve differential equations by asynchronous communication system.